Anthony McGrath admits he is having to be patient regarding Yorkshire’s pursuit of an overseas signing to cover the early stages of this summer’s Rothesay County Championship campaign.
The county’s new men’s coach is targeting another seam bowling recruit to go alongside the recent captures of Will Sutherland and Will O’Rourke, who will cover the middle of the season.
Australian Sutherland has signed on for the entire Vitality Blast group stage added to Championship matches against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and Essex at York in late June and early July.
New Zealander O’Rourke is available to play in the first eight Blast matches.
It is not out of the question that their stays at Headingley could be extended, though there is currently a gap which needs filling in April and May when Yorkshire play seven Division One Championship matches.
Picture by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images. Yorkshire have signed Australian Will Sutherland for a mid-season spell of Blast and Championship cricket.
McGrath confirmed: “We’re conscious that we’ve covered the T20s now, and a bit in between with the Championship. But we’re still working on April and May.
“September isn’t as pressing at the moment because I think we can see how we go with that.
“But we’re working really hard to try and get a bowler in for April and May.”
In recent weeks, McGrath has spoken about the challenges around overseas recruitment given the hectic schedule around the world, both in international and domestic T20 cricket.
And when talking about Yorkshire’s early-season recruitment, he continued: “We’ve had the IPL and the PSL drafts, although there are still some players who could be in line for those competitions as replacements who we’re unsure on over their availability.
Picture by Joe Allison/Getty Images. New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke was Yorkshire’s second overseas signing for 2025, and now Anthony McGrath and co are targeting a third.
“I’m hopeful that before we go on tour (to Abu Dhabi in mid-March), we’ll have been able to fill that gap.
“We want to try and get someone for as long as we can in the Championship. But, as I’ve said a couple of times, it’s really, really difficult given the schedule of things with the Champions Trophy, PSL, IPL, international teams playing.
“I’m very confident we’ll get someone – it’s just taking a bit of time.”
That also feeds into the availability of Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, who were not picked up in either of the drafts for the Indian Premier League and the Pakistan Super League. Both of those competitions run through April and May.
As things stand, both will be available to start the season in the Championship.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Dawid Malan tasted T20 success with Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League final on Friday. He is in line to start the Championship season with Yorkshire in April.
“At the moment, it’s looking promising,” said McGrath. “And if they’re available, fantastic.
“But things can change pretty quickly.
“They are players who are normally in high demand, so things could change with replacement player signings. If they don’t go, both are very keen to start the season with us playing red ball cricket.”
Preparations for the new season, which starts on April 4 away at Hampshire, are now in full swing.
After a pre-Christmas block of fitness work, the players are now back in the nets working on their skills with bat, ball and in the field.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Anthony McGrath is hopeful Jonny Bairstow will be in Yorkshire’s team to face Hampshire in the opening Championship match of 2025 at the start of April.
And McGrath likes what he has seen so far.
The former Essex coach added: “Looking from the outside, I knew it was a good squad. But the skill levels are very high.
“There are a lot of lads away, but the lads who are here are working really well. I’ve been so impressed with the skill levels and the attitude.
“The momentum of getting promoted last year, there’s a lot of excitement around. And I think there’s going to be a lot of competition for places, which is great.
“Everything is going well.”
