Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Jonny Bairstow celebrates his century against Leicestershire at Scarborough in 2012, congratulated by Anthony McGrath.
Yorkshire versus Leicestershire, Scarborough, May 2012. It was a fixture which had Anthony McGrath’s name written all over it.
A promotion-winning season in the County Championship, and McGrath’s last before retirement.
Yorkshire won this particular fixture in question by an innings and 22 runs, with McGrath contributing a first-innings 90 before striking five times with his seamers, including 4-21 from 12.2 overs in the first innings.
“I always enjoyed playing at Scarborough,” said McGrath. “But it was also going to be my last year. I knew I perhaps wouldn’t be playing much, so I thought it could be my last game there. As it was, we played Gloucestershire there later in the year and I played in that as well.
“I don’t actually remember a massive amount about the Leicester game. I do remember it being bloody cold, though!
“I think we must have had an injury or two to deal with because I bowled quite a lot in that game.”
To refresh McGrath’s memory, inserted Yorkshire were bowled out for a commanding 447, which included McGrath’s aforementioned 90 in addition to captain Andrew Gale’s 80 and a superb 182 from Jonny Bairstow.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath scored a first-innings 90 against Leicestershire at Scarborough in May 2012, his final season before retirement into coaching.
Leicestershire were then shot out for 118 and were asked to follow-on and were bowled out for 309. Steve Patterson stood out with 5-77, while McGrath actually took the new ball and struck once.
It was one of five wins in 16 matches for the White Rose that season as they finished second behind Derbyshire.
They actually clinched promotion with a win over Essex at Chelmsford during the final round of fixtures that summer. Ironically, it was on the outfield at Chelmsford a couple of weeks back that we chatted to Mags for the purposes of this piece.
Yorkshire had just won there in a one-sided Metro Bank One-Day Cup group game.
Anyway, back to 2012 and Leicestershire at Scarborough.
“We got quite a few draws that season, but we won a couple of games early off memory, which stood us in good stead,” said McGrath. “That Leicester game was obviously one of them at the start of May.
“I seem to remember it being quite damp throughout the game, and there was a bit in the pitch.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath celebrates a wicket against Leicestershire at Scarborough in 2012.
“So the harder bowlers to face were the ones who swung it. It was about getting the ball in the right area. And we’ve seen down the years that Yorkshire bowlers tend to adapt quicker to bowling at Scarborough.”
Bairstow’s brilliant 182 represented his fifth first-class century.
He was 22 at the time and has gone on to score 32 in all, including 12 in Test Matches for England.
His maiden first-class century had come against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2011, a fabulous 206.
Prior to his first, he had scored 17 first-class fifties. But once the Notts’ double came, it was almost as if the floodgates opened.
“Yeah, he came onto the scene and got loads of fifties, and I think Sir Geoffrey even used to wind him up about it,” smiled McGrath.
“So, I think that was extra motivation for him!
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Captain Andrew Gale and Joe Root celebrate an Anthony McGrath wicket.
“But when he got that first one, he obviously went on that great run and then played for England. And you knew that was where he was heading.
“It was the same with Joe Root and Gary Ballance when they came into the team. You could see what quality they had.
“It was only a matter of time before Jonny started converting and scoring big runs, and I do remember that one against Leicester being a special knock.”
