Anthony McGrath says Yorkshire CCC “going in right direction” as they seek to storm Surrey stronghold
HAVING narrowly failed to win at Fortress Chelmsford, where they came within one wicket of inflicting on Essex just a fourth defeat at the venue in 38 County Championship matches, Yorkshire face an even stiffer statistical hurdle at the stronghold otherwise known as The Kia Oval, where Surrey have lost only three games in the competition since 2014, winning 32 and drawing 26.
On paper it represents the toughest test of the season against the defending champions, whose record at the Oval is quite remarkable, with only Essex in 2018, Kent in 2019 and Lancashire in 2023 prevailing behind these most fiercely guarded of enemy lines in the last decade.
Anthony McGrath, the Yorkshire head coach, is under no illusion as to the size of the task that awaits his side in south London, albeit Surrey are currently fourth in the table, 20 points behind early pacesetters Nottinghamshire, after one win and four draws.
“They’re very good at home,” said McGrath, whose side are four places and 18 points behind Surrey after one win, two draws and two defeats. “They’re normally out in front by now but they’ve had some tight games so far, just as we have ourselves.
“There was a lot of disappointment that we couldn’t quite get over the line against Essex - to walk away with 11 points each from that game seemed a little bit of an injustice - but the lads were superb.
“Bigger picture-wise, I think we’re going in the right direction, and Surrey at the Oval is always an exciting fixture and if we repeat what we did for large parts against Essex it’s going to be a very good game.”
Yorkshire will once more be without Ben Sears, the New Zealand fast bowler, who missed the Essex match with an ankle injury, as well as batsman Dawid Malan, who has not featured in the last two fixtures following a groin problem.
Squad: Bairstow (captain), Bean, Bess, Buckingham, Coad, Duke, Hill, Lyth, Moriarty, Revis, Tattersall, Thompson, Wharton, White.