‘Magnificent seven’ pledge their futures to Yorkshire cause
SEVEN FIRST-TEAM players have signed contract extensions to give Yorkshire County Cricket Club a significant boost going into the season.
Batsman Harry Brook and pace bowler Matthew Fisher – the two men identified by club captain Steve Patterson as his ones to watch in 2021 – have signed new deals that will take them up to October 2024.
Pace bowler Ben Coad, batsman Will Fraine and wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall have agreed contracts that will keep them at the club until October 2023.
And overseas pace bowler Duanne Olivier and batsman Tom Loten have signed until at least October next year.
Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, is thrilled to have kept the magnificent seven on board, describing Brook as someone who has “definitely matured as both a player and person in the last few years” and
Fisher as a player who has “the capabilities to be a genuine allrounder in all formats – a threedimensional cricketer”.
Of the trio who have agreed new two-year extensions, Moxon was equally praiseworthy.
The former England opener believes that Coad is “one of the best bowlers” in the County Championship and has the “ambition to play for England – quite rightly so”.
He added of the 27-year-old: “All he can do is keep taking wickets and, if he continues the form he’s shown over the last few years, he can’t be ignored.”
Moxon said that Fraine has “huge potential” and that the club “wanted to ensure he has peace of mind (contract-wise) so he can relax, enjoy his cricket and keep developing”.
Moxon said Tattersall’s work ethic is “fantastic” and predicted that he will get “better and better both as a batsman and a wicketkeeper”.
He also believes that Tattersall is future captaincy material, with
the 26-year-old fulfilling the role in this week’s three-day practice fixture against Durham MCCU at Emerald Headingley in the absence of the rested Patterson.
“We’ve identified three or four lads who we feel have got captaincy capabilities and Jonny is one of them,” said Moxon.
“The friendly against Durham MCCU was an excellent opportunity to give Jonny some experience.”
Moxon is also delighted that Olivier, 28, and Loten, 22, have committed their futures to the club.
“The pace that Duanne offers gives us something different to our other bowlers, which is vital, particularly on pitches that are not seamer-friendly,” he said.
“Duanne made a big decision to come over here (from South Africa) and we wanted to reward his commitment to us with another year on his contract now.
“I think the more that he plays over here, the better he is going to get.
“We wanted to show our faith in him and hopefully it will give him peace of mind that we are backing him.”
Moxon described Loten as another player with “huge potential” and said that he had been “working hard on his bowling this winter”, predicting he could develop into a “genuine all-rounder”.
“He’s shown his versatility this pre-season, batting at the top of the order as well as batting in the middle order, so it’s good to have that flexibility,” he added.
The seven players have all said that they are delighted to have agreed new deals and that they believe the squad is capable of winning silverware this summer.
Yorkshire begin their County Championship programme against Glamorgan at Headingley on Thursday as they chase their first trophy since 2015.
■ Yorkshire completed their preparations for that fixture by drawing their friendly against Durham MCCU. After Yorkshire scored 370-5 declared in their first innings and Durham MCCU replied with 238, the hosts started day three on 48-0 in their second innings with Adam Lyth on 27 and Tom Loten 13.
Lyth top-scored with 50 retired out as Yorkshire made 178-5 declared second time around, Fraine contributing 48 and David Willey 20.
Set a notional victory target of 311, Durham MCCU finished on 104-0 from 34 overs. Ollie Price led the way with 64 and partner Sam Perry hit 38.
Matthew Waite will have a scan on a side injury sustained during the university game and is a doubt for Thursday.