Tykes set for a fight
(33) N Lampard 8 9-7 (D) ...... Jordan Uys (7) (13) D M Simcock 8 9-6 (D3) .. J P Spencer (242) M Appleby 8 9-5 (CD) ......... A Rawlinson (3) A King 4 9-4 ................................... A Kirby (14) M Johnston 4 9-3 ............................. J Hart (173) M Johnston 4 9-2 ............. F Norton (27) J Ryan 6 8-11 .... Jonathan Fisher (7) (19)JRyan48-11(CD) ................ SDonohoe (12) J McConnell (IRE) 5 8-8 (CD) .......... P Hanagan BETTING: 6-4 Shamash, 7-2 Ravens Quest, 6 The Gay Cavalier, 8 Castilo Del Diablo, 10 Byres Road, 12 Lexington Law, 16 Renfrew Street, 20 Viewpoint, 25 Precision Five. MAKE no bones about it, Yorkshire want their crown back.
The White Rose county’s players and coaches have readily admitted throughout the winter, with Alex Lees being the latest last week, that they did not deserve to win last season’s Specsavers County Championship, praising Middlesex for their superior consistency in 2016.
But, now, they are gunning for a third Championship in four years and some limited overs silverware besides.
There is somewhat of a new era at Headingley, with Andrew Gale installed as coach for 2017 and Gary Ballance as captain.
Though, England batsman Ballance is confident that the squad he has inherited still has some of the old magic left after back-to-back four-day titles in 2014 and 2015.
He is also hoping the Vikings can make the leap from two semi-final finishes last year to deliver a first limited overs title since 2002.
There may be a few injury question marks ahead of next weekend’s Championship opener against Hampshire at Headingley, with Jack Brooks (calf ) already ruled out.
But the squad has a similar look to the one that has been at, or towards, the top of county cricket’s tree for the last three or four years, with the addition of Australian Test star Peter Handscomb as their overseas looking a particularly exciting one.
“Even when we’re not at full strength, we feel like we’ve got a good side,” said Ballance, who will also be without England trio Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Joe Root for Hampshire.
“We’ve played some good cricket over the past three or four years, so we know where we’re at with the four-day stuff.
“If we start well and get ourselves on a run, I think we will be in good stead. Having an overseas batsman like Peter is massive for us, especially a senior player who has played international cricket and done very well. He will be able to help us out in that middle order.”