Anthony McGrath was disappointed but far from downbeat as he reflected on Yorkshire’s three-day defeat against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl this evening.
Yorkshire were beaten by five wickets in this opening round Rothesay County Championship clash, unable to defend a 148-target against last year’s Division One runners-up.
Bowled out for 121 during the early stages of the opening afternoon, the White Rose fought hard and impressively from there on in a bid to try and dig themselves out of a hole.
Ultimately, they couldn’t quite do it, but they were by no means a million miles away, especially with a trio of dropped catches factored into Hampshire’s chase.
McGrath also gave an availability update on the county’s two England stars Harry Brook and Joe Root, soon-to-be-arriving New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears and injured seamer Ben Cliff, who only bowled four overs in this match because of a side injury.
On this game, McGrath said: “The first two sessions of the game, we were poor and gave a lot of wickets away, which sometimes can happen.
“120 in any game, you’re always going to be struggling.
“But, to be fair, from those two sessions, we were in every session after that and pretty much won all of them. To give ourselves 150 to defend was always going to be tough, especially with the bowler down as well. But outstanding from everyone.
“The word is frustration because I think we created eight or nine chances there, and that could have been a lot different.
“I don’t like to say there are a lot of positives to take when you lose, because we’ve ultimately lost the game.
“But if we cut out a few mistakes, bat better like we did in the second innings, I think it’s shown everyone in the dressing room that we can compete and there’s some good signs going forward.”
McGrath is not expecting Brook or Root to be available for Friday’s clash with Worcestershire at Headingley.
“We don’t know on that yet, but I wouldn’t have thought so from what I’m hearing,” he said.
“Hopefully we’ll get that cleared up, but I think it’ll be a similar squad.
“Hopefully a couple of additions from the second team maybe – we’ll see how that goes this week. But no more news on the England stuff as yet.”
Unfortunately new signing Sears will not be available either. The initial plan was for him to debut next weekend, but he has sustained a niggle whilst on international duty with the BlackCaps, who have just completed limited overs commitments against Pakistan at home.
“No, he’s not going to make the Worcester game, unfortunately,” revealed McGrath. “He needs a little bit of an injection into his heel, which is nothing bad, so he’ll be fit and ready for the Durham game.”
And on Cliff, he said: “It’s his side. He’ll have a scan either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on when we get back. We were fearing it was the back, so touch wood for him it’s not too bad.
“It’s just disappointing because he’s been so good in pre-season and earned the right to play this game. Everyone’s gutted for him, but hopefully after we get the scan, it’s not too bad.”
The Cliff injury obviously heaped more work onto the shoulders of Yorkshire’s other four bowlers, Jack White, Ben Coad, George Hill and Dom Bess.
White finished with five wickets on debut.
“Yeah, he was fantastic,” continued the coach. “Again, he’s been the same in pre-season, and for us to run them so close with a bowler down from first innings is testament to the guys. All four of them there were fantastic throughout the game and they kept going.”
And on today’s centurion, Lyth, McGrath added: “He’s obviously a very experienced, top player, but it was probably a hundred that he doesn’t normally play. That’s with the greatest deal of respect for him.
“The way he dug in yesterday, took the sting out of the situation, particularly losing two early wickets in Beany and Wharts, and then him and Bluey really got us back in the game.
“And for him to manage the tail like he did, it was probably up there with one of his best hundreds, I would say.”
Lyth himself added: “I found it very, very difficult to time the ball yesterday.
“I was looking at the scoreboard and was on like 80 or 90 balls and I think I was on six or seven. Yeah, I was struggling to get it away, but I knew my job was to just try and bat time and stay there as long as possible.
“It probably would be my best (hundred) for the club if we’d have got over the line and won.”
