Andrew Gale insists Yorkshire must get better under pressure if they are to end the county’s long wait for some limited overs silverware.
The White Rose have not won a one-day or T20 trophy since 2002 and have, unfortunately, looked a long way off breaking that run this season.
In both the Royal London one-day Cup and the Vitality Blast combined, they have won only four games from 20, albeit five of those have been washed out.
The Vikings have not been able to get over the line in numerous close games, and Sunday’s Blast defeat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, which ended their quarter-final hopes, was another huge disappointment.
Chasing 149, they needed 41 off five overs with six wickets in hand and lost by three.
They now have two games remaining, starting against Northamptonshire at Emerald Headingley on Thursday (6.30pm), with which to ensure they at least end on a high.
Birmingham at Edgbaston on Friday finishes their limited overs summer. The Bears and the Viking are currently joint bottom of the North Group on nine points.
“We want to win them,” said coach Gale. “I certainly don’t want to finish bottom of the group.
“It’s been an immensely frustrating campaign, and we all take responsibility for that. This is Yorkshire Cricket and we want to win two games and finish as high as we can.
“It’s gutting that we get ourselves in great positions in games and can’t put our hands up.
“Notts showed all their experience at the end of the game.
“We probably outplayed them for large parts, but when it comes to the business end of games we can’t get over the line. That sums up our one-day cricket this season.
“We’ve been in a number of positions this year in all one-day cricket – three ties, lose by a run.
“When we’re under pressure, we don’t get our skills or our thinking right.
“In practice, we put match scenarios like that on – you need 10-12 off the last over. Are we putting ourselves under pressure enough in practice? Only the players can answer that.
“But winning close games becomes a habit. We played well up to about 16 or 17 overs, but someone has to stand up and get us over the line.”
Prior to this season, Yorkshire had opted to put faith in their own players instead of signing overseas players.
They played the one-day Cup without one and then only employed West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran for the first five games of the Blast prior to international duty.
South African spinner Keshav Maharaj has since made three appearances in the second half of the campaign, but his primary responsibility has been to play in four County Championship matches.
“We had Pooran here for five games, and two of them were washed out,” added Gale.
“We wanted to find out about our own players this year. That was the message. And we have done.
“Some of it has been good, some of it not so good.
“Maybe we chopped and changed a bit selection wise early in the competition trying to find out what our best eleven is.”
Northants are just about alive in the quarter-final race having won three of their 12 games. They are four points behind Derbyshire in fourth with two games in hand.
Team news
Tom Kohler-Cadmore continues to captain the side.
Spinners Josh Poysden (head), Adil Rashid (shoulder) and James Logan (back) have been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Matthew Fisher has returned to competitive cricket, playing for the 2nd XI in a three-day friendly against Surrey. The seamer claimed three wickets in the first innings of the game.
Vikings squad
Tim Bresnan
Harry Brook
Will Fraine
Tom Kohler-Cadmore ©
Jack Leaning
Adam Lyth
Keshav Maharaj
Duanne Olivier
Mathew Pillans
Jack Shutt
Jonny Tattersall (WK)
Jordan Thompson
David Willey
