Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath was delighted with Yorkshire’s performance at Wantage Road today.
Anthony McGrath hailed “a pretty perfect performance” after Yorkshire secured a commanding win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road today to maintain their winning start to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Head coach McGrath got one over his old mate Darren Lehmann, his Steelbacks opposite number.
Yorkshire won by 202 runs on the back of a 374-total before bowling the hosts out for 172.
Opener Imam-Ul-Haq starred with a brilliant career best 159, Matthew Revis was one of those who supported him with his own career best 69 before taking a wicket and a catch.
Left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty impressed with 4-38 from 10 overs.
McGrath said: “We had a great start up at Scarborough (against Warwickshire), but we knew that wicket was in our favour a bit with that toss.
“So we wanted to try and back up today, on what we knew would be a pretty good wicket.
“Batting-wise, it’s probably the perfect template.
“We talked about it before the tournament – keeping wickets in hand, someone going on to get a big hundred, batting around it and then accelerating at the end. I think we got over 100 in the last 10 overs.
“Then, with the ball, I thought again we were really, really disciplined.
“Our lines and lengths (were good), we bowled at the stumps, the spinners mixed the pace well, and the fielding I thought was excellent.
“A pretty perfect performance, really.”
While there were plenty of impressive performances, also including James Wharton’s 66, Imam would have taken the player-of-the-match award had one been on offer.
He went beyond 5,000 List A runs in the process of posting his maiden Yorkshire century.
“We know he’s got that international class,” said McGrath. “His List A record is sensational.
“We’ve seen him in practice since he’s been with us.
“He played nicely, didn’t he, at Scarborough, and for him to get in and get what he did today was fantastic.”
A lot has been spoken about Revis’s form recently on the back of a trio of Championship hundreds.
But Moriarty has flown under the radar somewhat this season given his chances have largely been limited to white-ball cricket. He was superb today in helping to close out the game.
“He’s been in and out, obviously – in the Championship,” added the coach. “And then he played eight or nine games, I think, in the T20.
“So it’s not easy when you don’t get into rhythm as a player.
“But he’s been working hard, as he always does. And it’s great to see someone like that get his rewards. I thought he bowled really well today.
“As I said, he mixed his pace well and turned a few as well, which was nice. He got good rewards.”
