Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath is confident ahead of Yorkshire’s clash with Hampshire tomorrow.
Anthony McGrath is delighted with Yorkshire’s form in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, saying, “It takes some effort” to win seven out of eight group matches as the county have done.
But the county’s head coach knows that counts for little in a one-off game such as the semi-final his White Rose players face tomorrow when Hampshire visit Scarborough, starting at 11am.
A place in the September 20 final at Trent Bridge is on offer, with Yorkshire chasing their first piece of limited overs silverware since 2002 and also their first of McGrath’s coaching stint with his home county.
“It takes some effort, and the games have come thick and fast,” he said of Yorkshire’s Group B campaign, which saw them finish top of the table and only lose to fellow semi-finalists Somerset at York earlier this month.
“There’s a lot of disruption as well in this competition, but I think seeing the squad – the lads coming in – put their hands up and put performances in, it’s really pleasing.
“To play as well as we have done, we can take a lot of confidence from that.
“But, as we keep saying in the dressing room, ‘We’ve won nothing yet’. There’s still two games before you can lift that trophy.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire won both their Group B matches at Scarborough this season. Ben Cliff claimed a maiden first-team five-for in the first, against Warwickshire.
Whisper it quietly, but Yorkshire haven’t got a good limited overs semi-final record since winning the C&G Trophy in 2002, beating Somerset in the Lord’s final.
One of their last-four defeats was to Warwickshire at Scarborough in the 2010 Clydesdale Bank 40 competition. McGrath played in that fixture.
“It’s really just another game,” said McGrath.
“I know it’s the old cliche, but some of the lads – the young lads – they’ve not had any scars from the past.
“They’ve not been to this stage, and they’ve playing without any fear.
“So, really, you take the semi-final out of it. It’s just a game of cricket.
“If we continue to play like we’re doing, we’re going to take some beating.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Fin Bean scored a stunning middle-order century as Yorkshire beat Durham at Scarborough earlier this month.
Yorkshire won both of this season’s group games at North Marine Road, beating Warwickshire on the opening day and then Durham. In the former, they beat the Bears by five wickets chasing 138. At the start of the game, the visitors were 38-7 and Ben Cliff went on to take five wickets.
Imam-Ul-Haq scored a skilful 55 in that match to help steer the chase.
And the Pakistani left-hander has gone on to score a total of 583 runs in this campaign at an average of 97.16, including three hundreds and three fifties in his seven innings. He is the second leading run-scorer in the competition.
Imam will play his last game before international duty with Pakistan, and McGrath said: “The runs are obviously so important. But – as I think the lads have said as well – it’s just how he’s been with all of the young batters.
“He’s played all kinds of different innings, but it’s just that calmness at the top.
“He’s been fantastic for us.”
Dom Bess is another who has had a positive impact on the campaign, both with his captaincy and off-spin bowling.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Dom Bess will captain Yorkshire in tomorrow’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-final. Anthony McGrath has praised his leadership qualities.
Bess has taken 10 wickets, two behind Yorkshire’s leading wicket-taker Matt Milnes with 12,
“He’s been brilliant,” said McGrath. “Really, really good.
“I spoke to him back in November when I first came in, and he said that he does want a captain at some point. He put that forward.
“He’s had the opportunity in the Championship, but he’s really taken it on in this competition.
“The way he’s led the boys, how he’s been in the meetings and communication with lads not playing and stuff like that, it’s been really good to see.
“And he’s got a fantastic cricket brain as well.”
Yorkshire face a Hampshire side who beat Middlesex in Thursday’s quarter-final at Radlett, winning by 42 runs as they defended their 229-9 total.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Liam Dawson will line up for Hampshire having returned from Hundred duty with the London Spirit.
They bowled Middlesex out for 187 in reply.
Opener Ali Orr scored a 140-ball 108 before England left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Liam Dawson returned 4-33 from 9.3 overs.
Dawson returned to Hampshire’s team on Thursday after the London Spirit failed to get beyond the group stage in the Hundred.
Yorkshire could, of course, do the same if they so wished with the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Jafer Chohan and Jordan Thompson, with the Welsh Fire and Southern Brave missing out on the latter stages of that competition. But McGrath has indicated that he may stick with those players who had got Yorkshire into this position.
Hampshire finished second in Group A having won six of their eight group matches.
They are captained by opening batter Nick Gubbins, who is the leading run-scorer in the competition with 665 from nine innings. He has scored two hundreds and four fifties.
They will include South African overseas seamer Kyle Abbott (11 wickets).
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. New-ball seamer Jack White has been excellent with both the red and white balls in his first season with Yorkshire. He will be key to their hopes of semi-final success.
Left-arm spinner Andrew Neal is their leading 50-over wicket-taker this term with 13.
This fixture starts an exciting final month for Yorkshire, who have got three huge Rothesay County Championship matches to come in September.
The first port of call will be to preserve their top-flight status, but McGrath and co believe a top-three finish in Division One is very realistic.
“There’s still a long way to go in the season,” he added. “We’re in the semi-final, and it’s still tight in the Championship. So it’s not a time to take our foot off the gas.
“We’ve got an exciting month ahead of us now. It’s something to look forward to.”
