By Graham Hardcastle
Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale has labelled Yorkshire’s Royal London One-Day Cup campaign as “inconsistent”.
Last weekend the Vikings failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the 50-over competition for the first time in six years.
They were hurt badly by ties against Warwickshire and Derbyshire and a one-run home defeat to Lancashire.
In the end, Yorkshire finished sixth in the North Group on seven points, winning twice in eight matches.
“It feels like one step forwards, two backwards,” said Gale.
“You’re so encouraged by things that you see, and then you think: ‘Why have we played like that?’
“We are where we are in the table because we played inconsistent cricket.
“Our white-ball cricket over the last few years, I feel, has been getting better and better. But you look at some of the games and how well we played, and that makes this even more frustrating because we did some really good stuff.
“Look at the first game against Leicester and how we batted against Derby. But you have to do both right – bat and ball – for long enough. We either batted well or bowled poorly or vice versa.”
The two games that Gale mentioned, against Leicestershire and Derbyshire at Emerald Headingley, Yorkshire racked up scores of 379 for seven and 308 for two, the latter from 40 overs before rain ruined their chances of topping 400.
Ultimately, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method intervened and set Derbyshire a target of 225 in 22 overs. The game finished tied.
The fact that only two batsmen, Gary Ballance and Harry Brook, scored centuries was costly, particularly given they both came in the same game against Leicestershire on the opening day.
“The two games in the middle against Lancs and Derby, we should have got over the line,” said Gale.
“Those are the two games that cost us qualification. We should definitely have won against Derbyshire. They are chasing 225 in 22 overs and should have got nowhere near that.
“The Lancashire game, needing 80 with six wickets left, we should have got them at a canter. That’s about blokes putting their hands up.
“One or two guys need to take responsibility and be 80, 90, 100 not out.
“We should have been going into the last three games needing one win or something like that instead of trying to win three out of three.”
Gale also pointed to Saturday’s penultimate group game against Worcestershire at New Road as another example of inconsistency.
Worcester were 62 for four, only to recover to 293 for seven. In reply, Yorkshire crumbled to 143 all out.
“Sixty for four, you think: ‘That’s the first time we have put a really good 20-25 overs in there’,” he said.
“But the last 25 overs, we let that go because we couldn’t hold the pressure.”
Yorkshire did field a number of younger players in the RL50, but Gale said: “We can’t just say it’s an inexperience thing.
“We do have some young lads in there. Harry Brook has at times shown his class and immaturity. I think Matthew Waite has been the same.
“But the rest of the guys have played a bit and been around the block.”
Yorkshire turn their attention back to County Championship cricket next week and have started well in that competition, drawing at Nottinghamshire and beating Hampshire.
They are second in the table behind leaders Somerset, who have just loaned them off-spinner Dom Bess. He will debut against Kent at Canterbury from Tuesday, the first of four scheduled Championship appearances.
Gale described the innings win at Hampshire as “the perfect four-day performance”.
