County prospects: Yorkshire (13 April 1999)

13 April 1999

County prospects: Yorkshire

Richard Hutton

An era finally passed during Yorkshire's close season. The deaths within months of each other of Billy Sutcliffe and Ronnie Burnet deprived the county of their last two amateur captains.

Off the field, paralysis prevails. The threat of landlord litigation still hangs over the club and reluctance continues among fund providers to underwrite Headingley's redevelopment costs.

This, though, should not deflect Yorkshire's cricketers from their determination to win the County Championship for the first time in over 30 years.

Certainly, in the seam bowling department, Yorkshire have an embarrassment of riches. Six specialist bowlers fighting it out for three places, however, might pose a few problems.

Injuries and England calls should keep the vacancies open. Paul Hutchison, despite taking his stress-fractured back on the pre-season tour of South Africa, will not be ready until mid-May.

Darren Gough and Gavin Hamilton could miss six weeks during the World Cup. Craig White, though, is expected to play a full part with the ball, and overseas recruit Greg Blewett's omission from the Australian party is a bonus.

Finger-spinners are now required to produce as much with the bat as the ball. Accordingly, 20-year-old Jamie Middlebrook will initially occupy the No 8 position, but faces competition in the long vacation from the two spin-bowling all-rounders, 18-year-old Richard Dawson, who toured with England under-19s in the winter, and 19-year-old Chris Ellison.

In the batting, the appointment of 33-year-old Richard Harden from Somerset on a two-year remit is designed to bolster the middle-order pending the return to form of Anthony McGrath and the emergence of some of the young unknowns.

At the top of the order, the pressure on Blewett as Yorkshire's third Australian will be considerable. He follows the popular Darren Lehmann, whose exploits over the last two seasons surpassed even the man he replaced, Michael Bevan. Blewett is down to open with Michael Vaughan, whose winter as captain of the England A team in Southern Africa has helped to mould him into a ready successor to David Byas when the time comes.

The most exciting prospect, though, is Matthew Wood, who ended his first full season just nine short of 1,000 championship runs, at an average of 45.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)