Harry Duke is relishing the prospect of linking up with Anthony McGrath once again having spent a brief time under his leadership at Essex during the early stages of the 2024 summer.
Duke, 23-years-old, spent a fortnight on loan in late April and early May, making two Vitality County Championship appearances to help the Chelmsford club overcome an injury crisis in the wicketkeeping department.
With that, Duke is the only Yorkshire player to have played under McGrath the coach, though other team-mates – Jonny Bairstow, Adam Lyth and Joe Root – have played alongside him as a player.
“He’s just a great human being for one,” said Duke of Yorkshire’s incoming head coach, who takes up post on November 1.
“He’s a guy you really feel like you can talk to.
Picture by Stu Forster/Getty Images. Wicketkeeper Harry Duke is congratulated by bowler Jamie Porter (44) and his Essex team-mates after taking a diving one-handed catch on debut in April, helping dismiss Durham captain Scott Borthwick at Seat Unique Riverside.
“I only had two weeks with him, but he really builds confidence in your game – he certainly did in mine when I was there, making me feel like I could go out there and play my game freely.
“He was obviously very highly-regarded down there at Essex.
“He’s had a lot of success, and I could see why from the time I spent with him.
“Even speaking to past Yorkshire players like Lythy, who played with him, it just shines through that he’s a brilliant person.”
Duke has just started a spell of winter grade cricket in Australia with Victorian Premier Cricket club Essendon.
Picture by Harry Trump/Getty Images. Yorkshire’s incoming head coach Anthony McGrath.
He is one of three Yorkshire players playing in the same first grade competition, with Ben Cliff and Will Luxton playing for Greenvale.
Noah Kelly is also spending his winter in Melbourne with the Beaumaris club.
Speaking from Melbourne, of McGrath, Duke said: “He’s a Yorkshire legend, no doubt about it, because he was a brilliant cricketer himself. So he has that wealth of knowledge to tap into.
“He definitely runs a good ship, and I’m sure we’ll all be in a good place come the start of the season.
“When I was down at Essex, it was a real no pressure environment – he gives you the freedom to go and play your shots.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Harry Duke is spending his winter playing grade cricket in Melbourne for Essendon.
“Being pro-active with the bat is something I’ve really been trying to develop over the last three or four months, towards the back end of the year. And I found that it worked quite nicely in the second team.
“Hopefully I can keep working on those game-plans out here with Essendon and produce scores that can impact games for them and then again when I come back home.”
