Any white-ball trophy would be a good one for Yorkshire as Cup bid continues
IT is the misfortune of any county that wins the One-Day Cup in this day and age that it is no longer perceived as the all-singing, all-dancing affair it once was.
It is regarded instead as a development competition, a far cry from its prominence before The Hundred came in.
The Cup bears little resemblance to the old Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, when Yorkshire last tasted one-day success in 2002.
That holds true for both the calibre of players competing in general - The Hundred having shaved off much of the cream - and how the competition is perceived among the cricketing public; even the final is no longer held at Lord’s, adding to the sense of diminished status.
Not that the majority of counties can afford to turn up their noses at it, though, and there are still some quality players on view – not least at Yorkshire.
Indeed, the One-Day Cup still offers one of three chances to win silverware each year alongside the County Championship and the T20 Blast, the premier first-class and white-ball competitions, although each county’s priorities invariably change and may well depend on progress in both, while the resources available to them is also a factor once The Hundred has looted the squads.
For Yorkshire, who have not won a one-day trophy for almost a quarter-of-a-century therefore, the One-Day Cup is fast becoming more important than it is to most clubs, given the love for cricket in these parts and supporters’ expectations.
It is surely no coincidence that Yorkshire have really attacked it this year - and with much success so far - as they face, on the one hand, a relegation scrap in the Championship (although they could yet finish in the top-three in Division One) and, on the other, the fallout from yet another disappointing T20 campaign, the club finishing second-bottom of the North Group after nine defeats in 14 matches.
Any trophy is a good trophy when it comes to Yorkshire and the white-ball game, and after four wins in five (one more from their final three group matches should be enough to secure a knockout place), no one can fault their efforts to this point as they have deservedly swept to the top of Group B ahead of Friday’s fixture against Durham in Scarborough, which is followed by trips to Sussex on Sunday and Kent on Wednesday.
Asked whether there has been an extra determination to do well in this tournament given all of the prevailing factors, Anthony McGrath, the Yorkshire head coach, said: “Yes, without doubt.
“As I said right from the start, it's a competition you want to take seriously, and I think where we're at as a team, this is not a competition where it's a development comp and we can rest players, and so on.
“Yes, we're rotating because of schedules, but it's something we're taking very seriously, and I think you can see how the guys are playing and approaching it. We want to try and get as far as we can.”
Yorkshire have not been savagely hit by The Hundred this time (Surrey, in contrast, have lost 15 players), so McGrath has been able to field a strong team buttressed by the inspired signing of Imam-ul-Haq, the Pakistani opener who has reeled off successive scores of 55, 159, 117 and 54 not out - all in a winning cause.
Perhaps tellingly, the one match that Imam missed through injury, against Somerset at York, was the one that Yorkshire lost; he has brought calmness and composure to the top-order.
Only Jordan Thompson of those who might have been expected to be picked and available but for The Hundred has not been around, although the club could have done without Matty Revis’s call-up as a replacement for Northern Superchargers – not least as he has so far only warmed their bench (a hot water bottle could have done that job just as effectively, perhaps).
There is a strong lottery aspect to the One-Day Cup as a result of such factors, although that is increasingly true of all domestic competitions given the haphazard availability of England players and also players involved in franchise cricket around the world, with the sport now awash with confusion.
“The 14 lads who we’ve got available are basically the 14 lads that are left,” said McGrath, with The Hundred having also claimed Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Jafer Chohan, Dawid Malan and Joe Root, although Yorkshire could have picked more rookie players had they seen fit to do so.
“You add an overseas into that in Imam and we’ve got a strong group.
“Our appetite to play and win and compete has been excellent, and I think we've looked a really good unit. We've banged on all year about being a better team unit, and the guys have really bought into that.”
A word on Imam?
“He’s been superb,” said McGrath. “Not just his runs, which obviously help, but just how he’s chatting to the other lads as well when he’s out there batting. It’s everything, really. He's been fantastic.”