Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath has been delighted by Yorkshire’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup progress.
No let up is the message from Anthony McGrath as Yorkshire head to Lord’s to face Middlesex in another Metro Bank One-Day Cup blockbuster tomorrow.
Yorkshire have significantly advanced their cause over the last few days with wins against defending champions Worcestershire at York on Wednesday and then Durham at the same venue yesterday.
Both counties are in the mix for knockout cricket, as are Middlesex.
But Yorkshire hold sway over them all, sitting top of the table on 16 points from five games.
This is the first of three remaining fixtures in Group B and starts once again at 11am at the Home of Cricket.
Head coach McGrath said: “If you do get through, it’s better to go straight through to the semi, of course, so you kind of miss a few days.
“At this stage, we’d take a quarter-final just to get through.
“But we want to win every game.”
Picture by Dave Williams. Kuldeep Yadav will play his final Metro Bank One-Day Cup game at Lord’s tomorrow.
Should Yorkshire win their group for the second year running, they would advance directly to a home semi-final on August 16. Finishing second or third would have them in a quarter-final two days earlier.
Tomorrow will be Kuldeep Yadav’s last of five games in this competition before he returns to international duty with India.
The left-arm wrist spinner then returns to Headingley to play three matches in the Rothesay County Championship in September. He has so far struck in each of his four games.
Against Durham yesterday, he claimed the headline wicket of former England Test captain Ben Stokes, who was caught at backward point reverse sweeping.
“It’s been great to see him in the nets,” said McGrath. “And he’s got a lovely nature about him. He wants to come and play because he’s a bit short on cricket.
“It’s not just the wicket he’s taken. At the other end, because they’re not scoring off him, then they have to take a risk. He’s got better and better, as we’ve seen in the last few days. But he’s got so many great skills and tricks. It’s brilliant to have in your team.”
On a replacement plan, McGrath said: “There are a couple of lads in The Hundred who are not playing much cricket. We’ll make a call, maybe Jafer Chohan.
“We’ll see if he gets selected in the next couple of games (for Welsh Fire), but that might work.
Picture by Ashley Allen/Getty Images. Jafer Chohan is under consideration to replace Kuldeep Yadav in Yorkshire’s team depending on how his next few days develop in The Hundred.
“We’re going to need Jafer as well later in the season. So it’ll be good to get him a few overs if he’s available. We’ll see how that develops.”
Behind leaders Yorkshire on 16 points from five games, Middlesex are second on 12 points from four. They have the same played four, won three record as Worcestershire and Durham but with a marginally better net run-rate.
Middlesex were beaten away at Worcestershire yesterday, the hosts replying to a 293-7 total to win by four wickets.
Coached by former New Zealand Test batter Peter Fulton, they are captained in this competition by batter Ben Geddes. All-rounder Josh de Caires scored an opener’s 130 at New Road yesterday, his maiden first-team hundred.
De Caires (265 runs) has stood out with the bat for Middlesex in this competition, while young seamer Naavya Sharma has impressed with 10 wickets.
Yorkshire beat Middlesex by seven wickets at Radlett last season chasing 130.
Middlesex went on to lose a home quarter-final at the same venue to Hampshire, who then advanced to the final by beating Yorkshire at Scarborough in the semi-final.
Yorkshire played a Championship match against Middlesex at Lord’s in April 2024, which they lost.
Picture by Kate McShane/Getty Images. Peter Fulton is in his first year as Middlesex’s head coach.
They last played a List A match against Middlesex at Lord’s in 2011, a Clydesdale Bank 40 group game which they won by 22 runs defending 276.
Head coach McGrath played in that game and contributed 63.
Jonny Bairstow hit a century and Adil Rashid struck three times with his leg-spin.
YORKSHIRE v MIDDLESEX, LIST A CRICKET 1964-2025 – STAT PACK
Results (home and away): Played 50; Yorkshire won 24, Middlesex won 21, No Result 5 (Abandoned 0).
At Lord’s: Played 24; Yorkshire won 9, Middlesex 13, No Result 2
Most recent results: 2025 Yorkshire won by seven wickets at Radlett; 2023 Middlesex won by five wickets at Radlett.
Note: These two counties have not met at Lord’s since 2011 when Yorkshire won by 22 runs.
Most successive wins: Yorkshire 3 (1972-74,1993-95, 2007-10); Middlesex 3 (1998-2004).
Highest innings totals: For Yorkshire, 275-4 (40 overs) at Lord’s in 2011. For Middlesex, 273-6 (45 overs) at Southgate in 2004.
Lowest innings totals: For Yorkshire, 90 (46 overs) at Lord’s in 1964. For Middlesex, 23 (19.4 overs) at Headingley in 1974.
Highest individual score: For Yorkshire, 124* by JA Rudolph at Scarborough in 2010. For Middlesex, 125* by OA Shah at Southgate in 2004.
Highest partnerships: For Yorkshire, 167 for the first wicket between MD Moxon (64) and AA Metcalfe (116) at Lord’s in 1991. For Middlesex, 148 for the first wicket between AJT Miller (69) and WN Slack (101*) at Lord’s in 1986.
Best bowling figures: For Yorkshire, 4-6 (8 overs) by R Illingworth at Hull in 1983. For Middlesex, 5-44 (11 overs) by TM Lamb at Lord’s in 1975. Hat-tricks: No instance for either county
Most dismissals in an innings by a wicketkeeper: For Yorkshire, 6 (all caught) by HG Duke at Radlett in 2025. For Middlesex, 4 (2 caught, 2 stumped) by BJM Scott at Southgate in 2004.
Note: Duke’s six dismissals represents a Yorkshire record against all opponents.
Most catches in an innings by a fielder: For Yorkshire, 3 by PJ Sharpe at Lord’s in 1964. For Middlesex, 4 by NRD Compton at Headingley in 2007.
A half-century and four wickets in a match: No instance for either team.
At Lord’s…..
Highest innings totals: For Yorkshire, 275-4 (40 overs) 2011. For Middlesex, 253 (38 overs) in 2011.
Lowest innings totals: For Yorkshire, 90 (46 overs) in 1964. For Middlesex, 107 (49 overs) in 1979.
Highest individual score: For Yorkshire, 116 by AA Metcalfe in 1991. For Middlesex, 106* by MA Roseberry in 1991.
Best bowling figures: For Yorkshire, 4-28 (10 overs) HP Cooper in 1979. For Middlesex, 5-44 (11 overs) TM Lamb in 1975.
Compiled by Paul Dyson, Peter Horne & Martyn Webster – members of the Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians.
