Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Yorkshire captain Dawid Malan has been speaking about his bowling options as the county embark upon this season’s Vitality Blast.
Dawid Malan says he is hugely excited by the bowling options he has at his disposal as Yorkshire’s Vitality Blast captan this summer – even it promises to create a few “selection headaches”.
Malan will skipper a side over the next two months including two overseas seamers in Will O’Rourke and Will Sutherland, the latter an all-round option.
Having debuted in last night’s opening night defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Headingley, they will face Worcestershire Rapids at Visit Worcestershire New Road tomorrow afternoon (2.30pm).
They will head up a seam-bowling attack including 2021 Blast winner Matt Milnes, who claimed 22 wickets for Kent that season and is fit again after his back issues of the last two years.
Malan also has a varied trio of quality spinners to call upon in England hopeful Jafer Chohan alongside Dom Bess and Dan Moriarty.
Yorkshire’s bowlers suffered last night, as Northamptonshire posted 237-4. But it wasn’t a bowler’s night at Headingley – true pitch, fast outfield, short boundary – and the visitors were taken for 224-9 as well.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. One oversea Will congratulates the other. Will O’Rourke high fives Will Sutherland after the Australian struck against Northamptonshire last night.
Fingers crossed, Yorkshire’s bowlers will be much better for the experience and will bounce back in the Midlands.
“I think bowlers are the ones that win you tournaments,” said former England batter Malan.
“I also think the best domestic players win you tournaments.
“But the teams that usually have the stronger bowling attack are the ones that stay in games more, allow you to chase under-par scores, which then makes the life of the batters easier, especially when you play at a high-scoring ground.
“There’s a big difference between chasing 200 and 220. So, if we can get it right with the bowling, it makes our life as a batting unit a lot easier.”
Malan continued: “We’ve got two overseas seamers who both bowl at different stages of the game and give us a different option.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Dom Bess was excellent in difficult bowling conditions for 2-29 from four overs.
“One is a tall quick, and the other is willing to bat and bowl anywhere in the innings.
“It allows us to play three spinners if we want to, two spinners if we want. It allows us to play an extra batter if we need to.
“It gives you more headaches from a bowling captain’s and a selection point of view, but they’re good selection headaches to have.”
After a season of fielding Shan Masood and Donavan Ferreira as batting overseas players, coach Anthony McGrath gone down the bowling route this year, as they did in 2021 when they reached the quarter-finals under Andrew Gale and in 2022 when they reached Finals Day under Ottis Gibson.
In 2021, New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson excelled before Pakistan internationals Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf featured in 2022.
“When you look at overseas, you always have to look at what you need and where you’ve been short,” continued Malan.
Picture by Money Sharma/Getty Images. New Zealand quick Will O’Rourke only landed in the UK on Wednesday having been playing for Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL in India.
“The years here we did exceptionally well, we had Lockie Ferguson and Haris Rauf for a bit. You look at that pace, and that’s got us into, and won us, some games at the end.
“I know Will O’Rourke is still a young kid, and he’s still trying to find his way in international cricket and T20 cricket. But if he gets it right, who knows what he can achieve here.”
Even though a lot of the focus will be on overseas performances, as it is with every county who make exciting signings, Malan knows the value of domestic players shining too, as he mentioned earlier.
“There’s still nine local players who are playing at all times,” added the left-handed opener. “We need those guys – all of us – to perform as well as we can do to be able to win this tournament.”
Looking at bouncing back from last night’s performance with the ball, Aussie Sutherland, who struck once, said: “In this day and age, it’s a batting friendly game, but you’ve still got to look at execution.
“I’m sure the boys will be diligent in their reviewing, do it quickly and move on to Worcester with an exciting opportunity to go one and one on.”
Picture by Dan Istitene/Getty Images. New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy has been playing Championship cricket for Worcestershire this summer. He played against Yorkshire at Headingley last month.
Worcestershire, champions in 2018, finished second from bottom in last season’s North Group.
They lost their opening game of this season’s Blast against Lancashire Lightning at Emirates Old Trafford on Thursday, by seven runs chasing 177.
They are coached by Alan Richardson and captained by all-rounder Brett D’Oliveira.
Their overseas players are fast-bowling duo Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) and Ben Dwarshuis (Australia).
