Patterson happy to mentor emerging prospects
MANAGING the development of Yorkshire’s exciting young crop of pace bowlers will be among Steve Patterson’s priorities in his next two years as county captain.
The 37- year- old penned a new two- year deal with the Headingley club on Saturday, a contract in this uncertain world that says everything about Yorkshire’s faith in their constant presence.
Leading the county to silverware is high on his list of ambitions in what will be the 17th and 18th years of his spell with the county of his birth.
But, of equal importance to Patterson, is ensuring he leaves a succession plan in place, one that requires the continued nurturing of bowlers like Ben Coad, Matthew Fisher, Matthew Waite and Jordan Thompson.
“With the squad we’ve got, I see my role very differently to what it used to be,” Patterson told The Yorkshire Post.
“I see it as taking the pressure off those younger lads because we have got a group of young bowlers who have got a lot of potential and may do well in the future, but to expect them to play 14 games in a year and bowl ‘ X’ amount of overs is probably unrealistic.
“Hopefully, me being around and playing the vast majority of those games, will just allow us to develop those lads in a bit more of a protective way and not overcook them.
“I think for the club it works really well. My goal is that by the time I’ve finished I leave them and the team in a better place from where I picked it up as captain.”
Much has changed in the twoanda- half years since Patterson was appointed captain.
Back in the summer of 2018 he was one of a host of experienced pace bowlers, but since then Jack Brooks, Liam Plunkett and Tim Bresnan have all departed Yorkshire.
At 37, Patterson is the eldest member of the quick department by nearly a decade, with David Willey, 30, aimed more at whiteball cricket, Matthew Pillans, 29, entering the final year of his contract and Duanne Olivier, 28, expected back next year as an overseas player.
At 26, Coad, is the eldest of a home- grown crop that is everevolving, as evidenced by the emergence of Jordan Thompson, 24, and Dom Leech, 19, in the truncated 2020 campaign.
“Take Ben Coad for example,” continues Patterson. “He’s had a fantastic three or four years, really matured as a bowler and is a fantastic cricketer, but he still hasn’t played a full year yet, whether that’s injuries or niggles.
“The same can be said about
Matthew Fisher, who we’ve struggled to keep fit for long periods of time, the same with Matthew Waite.
“Me hopefully being a constant in the side allows us to rotate those lads a bit more. If I wasn’t available or playing any more, then all of a sudden you’re expecting
those guys to play every single game, which none of them has ever done before.
“I can tell you from experience that’s hard work. So this just allowsthemanothercoupleofyears to develop and, hopefully, play the majority of cricket without being forced to do everything.
“We are lacking a little bit on senior bowlers, which is why I hope my presence as a constant in that side allows those lads to not feel under too much pressure. I think we’ll get more out of them that way.”
As well as that, the evolution of his own captaincy will be intriguing to watch, and something he acknowledges is all part of the learning curve.
“I’ve certainly got to grips with it a lot better,” he believes. “I inherited an experienced team but literally as I was taking over we lost a lot of those senior players; Liam Plunkett, Andrew Hodd, Alex Lees, then Jack Brooks.
“We lost quite a lot of players quickly and all of a sudden I’m trying to get my head around the fact we’re a very young side again.
“Over the last couple of years it’s been noticable the areas we’ve been a bit short in, and I think finally
we’ve addressed those areas; we’ve signed Dawid Malan as a senior batter, which I felt we were always short of.
“And obviously the spin department has been one that has been up in the air, but the signing of Dom Bess ticks a real good box for us and I think we’re now at the stage for the first time since I’ve been captain where we’ve got a squad that I feel we can really compete with.
“In terms of learning as a captain, I understand my role now and my responsibilities a lot better than I did when I took over. I was very much led by ( first- team coach – Andrew) Galey at the start.
“I’m very much aware now of what I am in control of and what he is in control of, and therefore I’m a bit more comfortable making decisions I feel are right for the side.”