Yorkshire began where they left off last season by overcoming their not inconsiderable handicaps to claim a victory that their coach, Jason Gillespie, lauded as one of the best of his career.
Approximately 24 hours after the Yorkshire president Dickie Bird’s public criticism of the unemployment of a quartet of the champions’ players by England in the Caribbean, a patched-up team assuaged fears that such widespread unavailability would derail them with a devastating third-day display. They began it in arrears, with one wicket remaining in their first innings, but performed with such conviction that it was all over before tea.
“They took all our players away, banned our captain and we still came away with a 10-wicket win, so we’re very pleased. It’s one of the best wins I’ve ever been involved in during my time in cricket,” beamed Gillespie. “Make no mistake, Worcestershire are a good side. Remember, they scored more runs than us in the first innings.”
Ryan Sidebottom, who is hoping to discover his calf tear is no more serious than a grade one when he undergoes a scan on Thursday, played his part in helping the visitors to a third batting bonus point before his fellow bowlers rushed them to another 16. Disciplined and probing, the collective effort was compared favourably to ‘Test match quality’ by Worcestershire’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes.
Pick of the bunch, as Worcestershire were scythed down for a round 100, was Jack Brooks. During winter appraisals, the squad at Headingley were challenged to define areas of their own games in need of improvement. Brooks, whose 68-wicket haul last season was second only to Sussex’s Steve Magoffin in Division One, cited being better out the blocks and he has proved good to his word in this match.
Having struck twice with the new ball on day one, he trumped that with three on the third morning, the pick of which was the middle dismissal, a snorter that flew to first slip from Daryl Mitchell’s fend. Brooks finished with a career-best match return of nine for 84.
At 30, time is of the essence if county cricket’s headband warrior is to grace international company. “I have tried to be a bit more focused in my preparation, to make sure I am right on the money straight away from ball one, and I feel like a million dollars. That spell this morning was as good as I’ve ever bowled. I felt dangerous every ball,” he said.
Moeen Ali would no doubt concur: the current England man scooped up low at second slip after being lured into a prod outside off stump. Alex Gidman’s Championship debut for the Pears featured two single-figure scores when another edge flew to the wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd.
From a position of 21 for four, Steven Patterson, one of two Hull-raised players in the Yorkshire XI, took over with his niggardly seamers. He terminated an hour’s alliance between the Toms, housemates Fell and Kohler-Cadmore, then sent back Ben Cox four balls later. The home tail found to their cost that he is not a bowler you can take liberties with. He finished with a career-high five for 11. “He’s called the Volvo because he keeps on keeping on. His line and length were absolutely ruthless. To be able to hit that shoe box on a good length consistently, and ask questions of the batsmen by nibbling the ball just enough, means he’s always in the game,” said Gillespie.
It was left for the stand-in captain Alex Lees to celebrate his 22nd birthday with a second half-century of the contest alongside the other Hullensian Will Rhodes. The fact that the three-figure target was ploughed down in just 17 overs limited the bowling work-out for Moeen, who nevertheless appears to be ready for a proposed flight to Grenada on Friday after recovering from his World Cup side strain.
“The physios here have got me fit and I’m ready to play. England have still to decide but hopefully I will get on that plane later this week,” he said.
