Ottis Gibson was full of praise for his Yorkshire players after beating Glamorgan in Cardiff to close in on promotion.
Yorkshire won by 185 runs an hour into day four at Sophia Gardens to move within 10 points of promotion back to Division One, consolidating their position in second place in the Division Two table with a fifth win in their last six matches.
“We played well, and we’ve played well for a number of weeks,” said coach Gibson.
“This week was an important week, obviously. We had to try and win.
“To lose the toss and get put in, the way we’ve played over the last three-and-a-half days, we were fully deserving of our win.”
Yorkshire are 15 points clear of second-placed Middlesex and 20 points behind leaders Sussex, the pair playing each other next week at Hove, starting on Thursday.
Yorkshire host Northamptonshire at Headingley at the same time.
Yorkshire can still finish the season as champions, but securing second place is clearly the main prize.
Asked what pleased him the most, Gibson continued: “Team. You know me, that’s what I’ve been championing for three years. Team.
“The way we played together – important runs at the back end of innings, Tatts his leadership and his runs. That sort of stuff.
“I’ve been begging for Fish and Coady to be fit together for a period of time, and those two taking the new ball you know they will challenge the opposition and take wickets.
“We played two spinners because we thought the pitch might spin, but it didn’t work out that way. To have that option is a good thing.”
A number of players impressed. Ben Coad finished with four wickets in each innings and Matthew Fisher four in the first and three in the second. George Hill’s first-innings 90 was the standout contribution with the bat.
Coad went beyond 50 Championship wickets for the season this week and Adam Lyth 1,000 Championship runs.
“I called him a genius last week, and I don’t know what to say this week,” said Gibson, of Coad. “The one thing I will say, I’ve mentioned it before about leaders doing leadership things.
“Him as the leader of the bowling attack – and I’ve said to him in an appraisal last year, I think. To him and Adam, ‘If we’re going to go and get promoted, the best bowler has to be taking 50 wickets plus and the best batter has to be scoring 1,000 runs plus’.
“That’s happened this year, and we’re therefore on the verge of going up. It’s because of the way those two have carried the leadership of the team.
“With the new ball in his hand – whether it’s a flat pitch or has 16 mm of grass – I don’t think there’s anybody better in the country (than Coad).
“A fit Matthew Fisher, the way he’s been bowling in the last two weeks has certainly been an asset for us. We’re glad to have him healthy and playing for us at the minute.”
Lyth celebrates his 37th birthday next Wednesday, the day before the Northamptonshire game, and Gibson was asked how long he believes the opener can go on for.
“If you ask him, he thinks he has 10!” he smiled. “But if he scores 1,000 runs every year, why not?
“It’s nice to see all the youngsters coming through, but the senior guys must still take the lead. And it’s great to see the senior guys taking the lead from the front.”
Looking ahead to next week, Gibson said: “We will still try and win the game. That’s our aim, to go out and win the game and see where that takes us.
“Everything we wanted to do at the start of the year is still in our hands. I’ll have a word with Richard Robinson (Yorkshire’s head of grounds) and see what he’s got for us.
“I’ll try and pick the best team to win that game.”
And that team could yet include club captain Shan Masood. He has not been ruled out, despite missing the last four games due to international and domestic commitments in Pakistan.
“I don’t know yet,” added Gibson, who also expects Jonny Bairstow to be available.
“The last conversation I had with Shan, he said that he should be available after the 21st of September. I think that competition going on in Pakistan may be finishing for him around the 21st.
“If he’s available and able to come back, he’s club captain and should play.
“Jonny is loving it here and is enjoying himself. He’s having a really good time, the lads are loving him, and I hope he’s available to play next week.
“I think he’ll want to play next week.”
