Moxon encouraged ahead of title defence as Yorkshire comfortably dispose of MCC

Yorkshire thrashed MCC by nine wickets in Abu Dhabi, completing victory with 10 minutes of the scheduled third day remaining.

After MCC started the day on 13-0 in their second innings, trailing by 138 runs, they were dismissed for 220, England Test captain Alastair Cook scoring just five.

It left Yorkshire needing 70 for victory, Adam Lyth adding an unbeaten 46 to his first innings 113 to enhance his hopes of making his Test debut in the West Indies next month alongside Cook.

“I was really pleased with the performance,” said director of cricket Moxon, whose side start their Championship season against Worcestershire at New Road on April 12.

“We were playing against a very strong MCC team and we beat them well. Graham Onions getting injured early in the match did not help the situation as far as MCC were concerned, but the facts are that we played some really good cricket once again.

“Going into the Championship season that’s really encouraging from our point of view.”

Lyth starred with 159 runs in the match – a stark contrast to the eight made by Cook – but there were other fine Yorkshire performances, notably by Will Rhodes, the 20-year-old all-rounder making his first-class debut, and by Adil Rashid yesterday, who took 4-72 to celebrate his own call-up for the West Indies tour.

“Will had a good debut with runs, wickets and catches and it’s important that he had a good game because he will play a part now in the first team while some of the lads are away with England,” said Moxon.

“Adil has continued from where he left off last season and hopefully he will get an opportunity to make his Test debut in the West Indies.”

Is Cook a concern or a crisis?: Read Chris Waters on Page 23.