It is fair to say that new head coach Anthony McGrath raised a knowing smile when the schedule for Yorkshire’s pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi was finalised. Their first opponents? Essex.
“It’s unbelievable how these things happen, isn’t it,” said the man who swapped Chelmsford for Headingley at the start of the winter.
Yorkshire travel to the UAE on Monday and will have five game days before they return to Headingley on March 26.
They are involved in the six-team Abu Dhabi Counties Super Cup T20 competition for the second year running from next Friday through to Sunday before facing Somerset in a two-day red ball friendly during the following week.
Yorkshire, Essex, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Warwickshire and the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) are all involved in the T20 competition, which will be live streamed from the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium complex.
Yorkshire face Essex on Friday afternoon (2.30pm UK) before facing last year’s winners Warwickshire on Saturday (6.30am UK).
Picture by Ian Roman/Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports hub. Jordan Thompson captained Yorkshire in last year’s Abu Dhabi Counties Super Cup.
On the Sunday, all teams will either play for placings or the title.
“It’s good (Essex first up) in a way because it gets that kind of stuff out of the way pretty early,” said McGrath. “It will be nice to see all their guys as well.
“Look, it’s a good tour, to have that county opposition early.
“Three T20s and a two-day game against Somerset is good, high quality opposition.”
McGrath’s own situation – coming to Yorkshire from Essex – is replicated by the county’s new bowling coach Mick Lewis, who has followed the same path. And that brings us onto an important aspect of the next fortnight.
This is certainly somewhat of a getting to know you exercise for coaches and players alike.
Picture by Alex Davidson/Getty Images. New bowling coach Mick Lewis (r) will travel to Abu Dhabi having started his role at Yorkshire earlier this week.
“From the team and squad point of view, some of the players – Noah Kelly and Jafer Chohan – we haven’t seen yet. They will meet us there,” continued McGrath.
“Mick Lewis only got here on Sunday.
“It will be the first time we get everyone together, and from that point of view it will be nice – and also to get outside and play a few games. Once you get that, you’re nearly there.”
Noah Kelly joins up with the group after playing his final game for Melbourne club Beaumaris tomorrow. The other three players who spent their winter in Melbourne, Ben Cliff, Harry Duke and Will Luxton, have all returned to Headingley this week. Dom Bess, having been in Sydney, arrived back at Headingley a touch earlier. Jafer Chohan is already in the UAE on a spin bowling camp.
Jonny Bairstow will link up with Yorkshire for the second week in Abu Dhabi, while Dawid Malan won’t travel at all.
“They’ve both had varying winters with their franchise stuff,” explained McGrath.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jonny Bairstow will join Yorkshire’s squad midway through their tour of Abu Dhabi.
“It will be good to have Jonny for that second week. And when we’re back in at Headingley on March 26, both of them will be in full-time. It will be great to have them involved.”
Injury wise, the return to fitness of Matts Revis and Milnes are still being managed. Both have spent their winters rehabbing from back stress fracture injuries, with Milnes having further surgery during the first half of the winter.
“Rev’s a bit further on than Milnesy is,” said McGrath.
“Rev will play as a batter predominantly, and hopefully we might get him a spell with the ball towards the end of the tour in the red ball game. Milnesy is only just starting out and coming along with his drills.
“We see the pre-season camp for him as getting him outdoors and bowling a bit more. He won’t take part in any of the games. We have to be a bit careful with him given the previous two years and give him as much support as we can.”
As for the on-field aims for the tour, McGrath added: “We obviously want to win the games, but it’s not everything for me. It’s very much a preparation phase.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Matthew Revis will be available to play as a batter in Abu Dhabi, and it’s hoped he will bowl during the latter stages of their red-ball clash with Somerset.
“We will be mixing the teams up and will be giving everyone a chance.
“We will be looking at players in different positions and roles to give us a bit more knowledge ahead of that first Championship game against Hampshire on April 4, which is what everything’s geared towards.”
