Picture by Ian Scammell/Kent Cricket. James Wharton celebrates his century against Kent at Canterbury on Tuesday.
As a cricketer, especially a batter, there are many things you need to remember to put in your kit bag. Bat? Check. Pads? Check. Gloves? Check. The list goes on. For James Wharton, however, the list is a little longer. A brick? Check.
Earlier on in the ongoing Metro Bank One-Day Cup, which for Yorkshire has now reached the semi-final stage, Anthony McGrath revealed how he had asked his players and fellow coaches to bring something into the dressing room to help build morale and strengthen the bond within the group.
“It could be absolutely anything,” said the head coach at the time.
“Everyone gave it some thought. And, as ever, there was some weird and wonderful stuff.”
Former all-rounder McGrath brought in his winner’s medal from the 2002 C&G Trophy final win over Somerset at Lord’s, the last time Yorkshire won a limited overs trophy.
Will Luxton even offered to bring flowers to help cheer the mood.
And, for in-form batting star Wharton, he revealed: “I brought a brick!
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Coach Anthony McGrath has asked his Yorkshire players to bring something into the dressing room which will help the team thrive during the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
“It’s to do with the foundations of the team.
“It’s the Unsung Hero award. So if you win that, you get a brick.
“Mags put forward four pillars for the team, and not one of those was to do with individual performances or anything like that.
“It was all about the team, and I think everybody has bought into that 100 percent. And it’s paid absolute dividends with the results we’ve seen on the pitch.”
Wharton continued: “We’ve got (Noah) Kelly singing songs every morning in the huddle, we’ve got the coaches bringing different games in in the morning.
“We have a blazer for someone to wear in the warm-ups if they’ve done something a bit daft.
“So, obviously, Lythy wins that quite a bit.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Will Luxton is expected to be fit to play at Scarborough on Sunday having missed the last two games with a knee issue.
“Luxy had it on at Kent the other day for goodness knows what.”
There is a serious point to all the frivolity. It indicates a group of players and coaches who are absolutely as one, as the results on the field have suggested.
Seven wins in eight group games is some effort, leaving Yorkshire – with 28 points and a very healthy net run-rate – with the best record across either of the two groups heading into what will be for them a home semi-final against Hampshire at Scarborough on Sunday.
“I think the team environment we’ve got at the minute is second to none,” said Wharton.
“Everything’s so relaxed.
“They’re (the coaches) are not stupid.
“It’s just to take the pressure off everyone and realise that we’re here to have fun as well..”
Picture by Ian Scammell/Kent Cricket. James Wharton has been excellent in this season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
As aforementioned, Yorkshire will face Hampshire at North Marine Road, starting at 11am.
Hampshire beat Middlesex at Radlett earlier today by 42 runs in the quarter-final as they successfully defended their 229-9 total. They bowled Middlesex out for 187. Hampshire were actually the designated home team having been unable to host the tie at the Utilita Bowl because of a clash with the Hundred.
That’s why Yorkshire are playing at Scarborough on Sunday, with preparations for Tuesday’s ODI between England and South Africa at Headingley in full swing.
The semi is a fixture Wharton can’t wait for, the type of game the 24-year-old dreamed of when growing up learning his trade back in his native Huddersfield.
“Absolutely,” he said. “And, obviously, being at home with our home supporters at Scarborough, which is a tough place to go, we’re really looking forward to it.
“We know that we’re a lot better than the performances we’ve put out in previous years (in limited overs cricket).
“But I think it’s us coming of age and maturing a bit and realising how to play this format.”
Picture by John Clifton/SWPix.com. James Wharton has hailed Imam-Ul-Haq’s form in this season’s One-Day Cup.
Wharton has been excellent throughout this One-Day Cup, scoring 414 runs in eight matches with three fifties and a maiden List A century.
The latter came in Tuesday’s final group win over Kent at Canterbury, 118 off 106 balls.
He sits second on the Yorkshire run-scoring list behind Pakistani overseas opener Imam-Ul-Haq, whose haul of 583 from seven matches – with three fifties and three hundreds – is the second best in the entire competition.
Wharton added: “Having Imam and Lythy at the top of the order has been massive for us.
“Imam’s been outstanding. Batting with him, he just keeps you on track. He doesn’t like me looking at the scoreboard. He says, ‘Don’t worry about that, it’ll just take care of itself’. I think we’ve all learnt massively off him.”
So, if you see something going on in the warm-ups on Sunday morning that makes you think, ‘Eh?’, it will all be part of Yorkshire’s plan to reach Trent Bridge on September 20. A final is now just a stone’s throw away. Or even a brick’s throw away?
“No, no,” smiled Wharton. “You can’t throw the brick. We have to keep the brick safe.”
