Ben Coad completed an important step on the journey to being ready for next week’s LV= Insurance County Championship opener against Gloucestershire by bowling to the sons of two international greats at Weetwood today.
Opponents Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities fielded Ibtesam-ul-Haq, the son of Pakistan legend Inzamam, and Michael Atherton’s son Josh de Caires – both victims of Jordan Thompson.
Coad, Thompson’s new ball partner, has been sidelined through a groin injury sustained during the early stages of the county’s pre-season to Dubai last month.
But he bowled a six-over new ball spell during a shortened final day of friendly action as the students replied to Yorkshire’s 402-7 declared with 152-8 from 56 overs.
Coad conceded 19 runs without claiming a wicket, while Thompson led the way with 3-16 from 10 overs.
He struck twice with the new ball, including opener ul-Haq caught behind for three, and returned to bowl de Caires for 51 after tea.
Play got underway at 1.15pm on the final day of Yorkshire’s friendly programme following a wet outfield, with Steve Patterson declaring before play.
And Leeds/Bradford were quickly under pressure in falling to 42-3 inside 14 overs.
Ul-Haq, whose father played for Yorkshire as an overseas player in 2007 and whose cousin Imam currently opens the batting for Pakistan, was first to go in the eighth over when he edged Thompson behind to Harry Duke.
William Wade, the other opener, edged the same bowler to Will Fraine at third slip four overs later before Patterson bowled Jack Timby.
De Caires scored a century in the corresponding fixture at Headingley last year, and the Middlesex contracted player impressed again.
Shortly before tea, he reached his fifty in 79 balls with seven fours and a pulled six over mid-wicket and went on to share 72 for the fourth wicket with wicketkeeper Tom Keast.
De Caires was bowled by Thompson in the early stages of the evening – 114-4 in the 37th over – and Keast followed him back to the pavilion for 35 with only another four runs added when he miscued a pull at Matthew Revis to mid-on.
Dom Leech and Tom Loten (2-10 from three overs) then shared a trio of wickets as the game edged towards a conclusion.
Coad is on track to face Gloucester at Bristol next Thursday, with another part of his rehabilitation programme being that he had to field for a session added to bowling his half a dozen overs.
Patterson finished with eye-catching figures of 1-11 from 10 overs.
