Josh Poysden gave an early indication of Yorkshire’s expected spin strength this summer with an excellent five-wicket haul on the final day of their friendly against Derbyshire at the Incora County Ground.
Leg-spinner Poysden claimed four wickets in a 12-ball spell and later added a fifth as Derbyshire, replying to 250-7 from 60 overs, finished on 199-9 from 79.2.
Four of Poysden’s wickets were lbw, and he finished with figures of 5-22 from 8.2 overs, adding to other day two wickets for Ben Coad, Steve Patterson and Matthew Waite.
Poysden is part of an exciting White Rose spin department headlined by new signing Dom Bess, the England off-spinner.
Bess was present at Derby to just train with his new team-mates following his winter move from Somerset.
Bess and 29-year-old Poysden are joined by England limited overs leggie Adil Rashid, who will hopefully feature at some point around his international commitments, and fledgling trio Jack Shutt, Josh Sullivan and Academy left-arm wrist spinner Sam Wisniewski.
Only Sullivan is yet to make his first-team debut.
Poysden is an experienced hand. But, with the majority of his career appearances coming with white ball in hand, he will be keen to make an impression in red ball cricket.
And this impressive display against a youthful Derby side will have done the former Warwickshire man no harm at all.
The start of play on day two was delayed until 1pm due to rain, with Derbyshire resuming on their overnight 61-1 from 30 overs.
Coad had South African left-hander Leus du Plooy caught behind for 10 before captain Patterson bowled opener Brooke Guest for 30. Waite then trapped Mattie McKiernan lbw for four – his second wicket of the game – to leave Derby 94-4.
Anuj Dal cut Matthew Fisher for six on the way to an unbeaten half-century. But not before Poysden had claimed four of his five wickets.
He trapped both Nafis Shaikh and Archie Harrison lbw with successive balls in the 68th over. He then trapped Nick Potts lbw in the 70th and had Chris Lawrence caught (153-8).
In what proved to be the final over of the match, Poysden also trapped Jonny Lawrence lbw. Yorkshire were expecting to bat again following the conclusion of Derbyshire’s innings, but more rain prevented that from happening.
The visitors used seven bowlers; Coad, Fisher, Willey, Waite, Patterson, Shutt and Poysden.
Patterson bowled 12 overs for as many runs with the wicket of Guest included. Dal finished unbeaten on 72.
Yorkshire are next in friendly action across three days against the students of Leeds/Bradford University at Emerald Headingley, starting on Monday.
