Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Matthew Revis and Moeen Ali celebrate dismissing Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen.
Anthony McGrath expects Matthew Revis to play an increasingly central role for Yorkshire as the summer progresses, including in the ongoing Vitality Blast.
Emerging all-rounder Revis, aged 24, is already making waves.
Over the winter, he toured Australia and Abu Dhabi with the England Lions. So far this summer, he has received his county cap and claimed five wickets in the superb Rothesay County Championship win over Surrey at Headingley earlier this month.
Revis is yet to take centre stage in the Blast.
He wasn’t required to bat or bowl in Friday’s opening night win over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. In Sunday’s come-from-behind win over Derbyshire at Headingley, he struck once with his seamers and hit 13 from number six.
Head coach McGrath said: “Rev couldn’t really take part in the Blast last year from a bowling point of view (because of injury), but he will bat in the middle order and bowl his overs this year.
“He will be a big part of our team.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath has been speaking about Matthew Revis’s development.
McGrath was speaking ahead of Yorkshire’s latest Blast North Group fixture, against Durham at the Banks Homes Riverside tomorrow night (6.30pm). Both counties have won two from two so far.
“We know when Rev’s bowling well, there’s a point of difference with his height, a bit of extra pace and the bounce,” continued the head coach.
“Last year, we had to manage him with his back, and he felt it again early season, which fortunately was nothing serious. So I think just getting that confidence in his body is a massive thing for him.
“Getting overs consistently each week in games, I think will help him mentally more than anything. And he wants that responsibility.
“He really stood up, and you saw how he bowled against Surrey. If he can bowl like that consistently, we’ve got five proper seamers, which is a big attribute and weapon for us to have.
“He’s been involved with the Lions, and people are watching him.
“It’s that word consistency. If he can do it more often than not, he’s a real handful as an all-rounder.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. AJ Tye and Hassan Ali were the heroes with the bat against Derbyshire at Headingley on Sunday.
Yorkshire’s remarkable turnaround against Derbyshire on Sunday, chasing 195 having fallen to 139-8 midway through the 16th over, has given them some significant early momentum as they head to the North East.
One of Sunday’s heroes AJ Tye will face his former county, while his father hails from not far down the road in Middlesbrough, hence why the Australian seamer qualifies as a local for this and next season’s Blast.
Durham have so far beaten Derbyshire Falcons away and Leicestershire Foxes at home, and it comes amidst an impressive start to the season given they are currently top of Division Two in the Championship.
Coached by Tye’s fellow West Australian Ryan Campbell, they continue to be captained in the Blast by ex-Yorkshire opening batter Alex Lees.
They have South African batter David Bedingham as an overseas player across all formats.
Durham, who should also include England seamer Matthew Potts, were beaten quarter-finalists in last year’s Blast.
Potts took five wickets against Yorkshire last summer as Durham won at York. They actually completed the double over the White Rose last year.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Alex Lees and his Durham side have also made a fine start to this season’s Blast.
Durham have the same goal as Yorkshire in 2026, to win their maiden T20 title.
The early signs for both clubs are certainly positive. And even at this embryonic stage of the competition, the winners will take a significant step towards achieving a top-two finish in the North Group to guarantee quarter-final qualification when it comes to mid-July.
The top two from each of the three regionalised groups – after the 12 matches – qualify for the last eight alongside the two best third-placed finishers.
