Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Anthony McGrath was thrilled with Yorkshire’s win over his former county Essex.
The overriding feelings were delight and excitement as Anthony McGrath spoke to the media at Headingley after watching his Yorkshire side steamroller Essex by an innings and 106 runs inside three days.
The White Rose county dominated from start to finish in claiming their fourth win of the season, this yielding 22 points.
It all but ends any lingering concerns about being dragged into the Rothesay County Championship relegation zone. But, as he has done for so long, head coach McGrath is looking up rather than down.
Ok, Yorkshire can’t win the Division One title this year. But they certainly can next!
“We spoke after last week’s disappointment at Surrey, and we had a lot of emotions down there with everything as it pretty much finished the season in terms of what we wanted to achieve,” said head coach McGrath.
“But we set everyone a bit of a goal this week of keeping to what we think are our standards. And that performance was magnificent.
“In some ways, it’s frustrating because it shows how good we can be. But I think it’s more exciting than anything.
“If we can keep maintaining those standards on a regular basis, we’ve got such an exciting group. Hopefully that’s just the start of it, really.
“We have Somerset and Notts’ to finish, two of the higher teams.
“We can maybe get third, something like that. I know it’s not a trophy, but that’s got to be our aim.
“Again, more bigger picture stuff, we’ve just got to make sure we’re putting these performances in regularly.
“I think once that gets into our psyche, that’s when we’ll start to win the big moments and win the bigger prizes.
“There’s no let-up from us.
“There’s a lot of determination in there.
“We’ve already had a quick chat about, ‘This has been brilliant, but this doesn’t stop’.
“A few days off now, and it’s going to be – even though we’re not in the run-in – a fun next two weeks because these two teams are going to be pushing for the title.
“It’s a good yardstick of where we’re at because these are the two teams who have still something to play for.”
Yorkshire face Somerset at Headingley from Tuesday in their penultimate game of the season.
The White Rose management opted to play this fixture on a used, spin-friendly pitch.
“We took advantage of the England v Pakistan Test finishing early and decided to go with that pitch,” said McGrath.
“But I think someone like Kuldeep, one of India’s best spinners, if you have that in the ranks, you’ve got to try and give him some time to bowl.
“When you get the runs, and there’s a little bit in the surface, it just was amazing to watch.”
Yorkshire were advanced in the main by a trio of standout performers; Kuldeep Yadav, Dom Bess and George Hill.
Indian wrist spinner Kuldeep scored a crucial 36 in the first innings and then took career best first-class match figures of 10-120; four in the first innings, six in the second.
Bess top-scored with 80 not out in Yorkshire’s first-innings 390 before striking five times with off-spin.
Hill hit 40 with the bat and also struck five times with ball, four of them coming across the two innings today as Essex were bowled out for 171 and then, following-on, 113.
Digging into things further, Kuldeep was the star and Bess and Hill the two superb support acts.
McGrath said: “You’ve interviewed Kuldeep a few times, haven’t you, and he’s an amazing character. His passion for the game, he just loves bowling.
“He was watching on the stream when he hasn’t been here, so he’s delighted more than anything to get a win.
“He was gutted last week at Surrey even though he didn’t bowl a ball.
“He wanted to put in a real performance this week. and he’s certainly done that. Ten-for to win us the game and to get clapped off by the supporters, it’s a great feeling for him.
“And Dom feeding off that as well.
“It also helps just rotate the seamers and keep them fresh.”
McGrath added: “And George, he’s in the game whether it’s with the bat, ball or in the field. He’s metronomic with how he bowls, and he’s always asking questions.
“The Surrey boys last week were full of compliments for him – they didn’t want to face him – and the Essex lads again.”
