Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath was delighted with Yorkshire’s win at Chelmsford today.
“It’s a nice feeling,” said Anthony McGrath, reflecting on Yorkshire securing a home quarter-final at York on Friday thanks to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Essex at Chelmsford as they chased a target of 152.
McGrath was stood on a parched outfield at the Ambassador Cruise Line ground, a venue where he had so much success as Essex’s head coach before returning to Headingley ahead of last season.
His Essex side knew how to win and get over the line in the big moments.
His current Yorkshire side is trying to get to that same point. And the signs are encouraging. They followed up a grizzled victory over Derbyshire at Scarborough on Friday with a much more dominant one here.
Ben Coad and Dom Bess claimed three wickets apiece in bowler-friendly conditions as Essex were bowled out for 151, with Fin Bean also impressing with four catches and a stumping. Will Bennison then top-scored with 60 and James Wharton backed him up with 51 not out. Those two shared a third-wicket 85 to recover things from 15-2.
“We knew there were quite a lot of permutations going into today, but most important was just to get the four points,” said McGrath, whose side have finished second in Group B with six wickets from eight.
“It can be a tricky place to come, but I thought we played really, really well, followed up from how we played last game against Derbyshire. It’s nice to finish with a positive win and, more importantly, get to the quarters.
“We know that when it gets dry here, there’s going to be a little bit there in the pitch. We would have batted first. We thought it would turn as the game went on.
“Obviously 150 is a difficult score to defend. We had a bit of a wobble, but I thought that partnership between James Wharton and Will Bennison was superb.
“It’s nice to have the bowlers we can change (Ben Cliff, leading wicket-taker in the comp left out today).
“It’s probably what other teams haven’t been able to do.
“The most impressive thing is whoever has come in has really stood out and kept the pressure on.
“We talk about batting in partnerships, but the bowling partnerships have been great from both ends.
“We keep putting pressure on, and we keep picking wickets up, which is always handy in this form.”
Spin set things up for Yorkshire, with captain and offie Bess striking with the first ball of each of his first two overs en-route to figures of 3-32.
McGrath said: “I said to him at the end of the game, I think that’s the best he’s been. It was a crucial time when he came on, and it’s really nice for him because I know how hard he’s been working.
“It will give him some confidence, but I thought he was really good as well today with the bowling changes. He kept shuffling the pack, changing ends.
“What we’ve managed to do mostly through this comp is get wickets in the middle, which is the best way to keep the runs down.”
And on youngster Bennison, who led the way with his second first-team fifty, McGrath said: “It was tough for him early on (in the competition).
“He was desperate for a score.
“When you don’t get that as a young player coming into the first team – obviously he got a duck last year on his debut (at Kent) – it can affect you. But it hasn’t at all.
“I think that’s the biggest compliment I can give him. He’s been very consistent around the group.
“Sometimes young players can try and overtrain to try and correct the faults, but he’s been confident in his preparation. That’s the sign of a top player.”
And on Friday at York, with Yorkshire’s opponents to be confirmed in the next hour or so, McGrath added: “We’d take any quarter-final, wouldn’t we.
“But we’ve really enjoyed York. I certainly have over the last two years since I’ve been back. It’s a great place, I think the weather’s going to be great again.
“It’s a short turnaround, so hopefully we can get plenty in there. But, more importantly, it’s getting the win.”
