MOXON LEFT FRUSTRATED
New recruits had left Yorkshire chief optimistic of silverware this summer
YORKSHIRE believe they were primed to challenge strongly in all three county competitions before cricket was forced to take a necessary back seat.
The club was confident of doing well in the County Championship, the T20 Blast and the 50over Royal London Cup having put together a strong squad including England’s Dawid Malan, India’s Ravi Ashwin and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran.
Although there are still hopes that a rescheduled T20 Blast could be played towards the end of the season, Yorkshire and their fellow counties are facing the very real threat of a blank campaign unless the picture improves.
Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, said: “If we’re talking from a purely cricket angle, because there’s clearly a lot more important things than cricket and sport right at this moment, then it’s certainly frustrating for everyone involved with the club because we felt that we had a chance of having a really good season.
“We’d put together an excellent squad, in our opinion, with some quality overseas signings, and we were all really excited about this summer.
“What with the signing of Dawid Malan, plus the investment in overseas players, this was kind of the year that we were thinking, ‘Right, we’re ready to go again’.
“So it is frustrating, but, of course, we have to keep it all in perspective because of what’s happening right now in the wider world and all the people who are currently affected.”
Moxon, who has been telephoning elderly Yorkshire members during the crisis to check on their wellbeing, has worked hard with his coaching staff to assemble a squad that looked ready to push for Yorkshire’s first silverware since 2015.
That squad has undergone significant transition since then, as the side that won back-to-back Championships gradually dispersed, and there was a feeling that with the investment made in signings, plus the talented youngsters at the club and experienced campaigners, that successful times were in the pipeline this year.
Malan and Ashwin would have significantly boosted Yorkshire’s chances of winning the Championship, while the addition of West Indies’ batsman/wicketkeeper Pooran for the T20 Blast was another big coup.
As it is, Yorkshire and their fellow counties must play the waiting game to find out whether any cricket is possible this year, or whether it is just behind-closeddoors international cricket that can now be salvaged.
“For a few years now we’ve spoken about rebuilding, about going through a period of transition, and we feel that we’ve done that and are ready to kick on,” added Moxon. “That’s not to say that it’s going to be easy – it never is – but I do feel that we’ve got a squad of very talented players capable of challenging strongly in all competitions.
“What happens with this season, we simply don’t know at the minute; various meetings are taking place and the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) are taking advice from the government.
“The priority, at the moment, is trying to get some international cricket played if possible, and then after that looking at the situation with regards to county cricket.”
Whether counties would deem it cost effective to play this season in the absence of crowds remains to be seen.
Unless restrictions on gatherings are relaxed, permitting the presence of at least some spectators, there must be a strong chance that the only cricket likely to go ahead is behind closed doors at international level as the ECB look to fulfil their broadcast commitments.
The announcement of a further delay to the start of the county season is likely – all professional cricket is in abeyance until at least July 1, and recreational cricket suspended indefinitely – and it is by no means certain, at this stage, that matters will be back to normal even by the summer of 2021.
However, one positive for Yorkshire is that they should be just as strong on paper next year, with the club open to the prospect of trying to re-sign Ashwin, Pooran and also Keshav Maharaj, the South African spin bowler who had been recruited for the first two games of this year’s Championship.
“We’ve got a good relationship with the overseas lads and they would certainly be keen to come back if everything fits, just as we would be keen to have them again,” added Moxon.
“Obviously, we don’t know what the international schedules are going to be like next year, or indeed any schedules at the moment, what our financial position will be, and so on.
“There’s obviously a lot of unknowns at this stage.
“But, in principle, all three overseas lads are more than happy to consider coming back, which is the best position that we can be in under the present circumstances.”
Yorkshire prefer to build lasting relationships with their overseas players.
Maharaj and Pooran have previously played for the county, while Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, has been a regular returnee.
“We like to build good relationships with them, for sure,” said Moxon.
“We want to look after them and to create a situation whereby they want to come back.
“That’s vitally important.”