Gillespie proved right over winter recruitment policy

JASON GILLESPIE has revealed the moment he realised Yorkshire had to strengthen their seam bowling ranks if they were to cope with promotion to Division One of the County Championship.
Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie. (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie. (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie. (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

The Yorkshire first team coach said the game against Gloucestershire at Scarborough last August, when he was forced to choose batsman Anthony McGrath as the third-choice seamer, convinced him that Yorkshire did not have sufficient strength in depth should they gain the elevation they ultimately achieved.

Yorkshire moved to plug the gap by signing pace bowlers Jack Brooks and Liam Plunkett in the winter instead of recruiting a batsman, with veteran McGrath having subsequently retired.

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It left some supporters wondering whether Yorkshire had too many bowlers and not enough batsmen, but Gillespie felt seam bowling additions were the clear priority – a decision vindicated thus far by Yorkshire’s impressive rise to second in the table.

“Where it really hit home for me was last year when we played Gloucestershire at Scarborough,” said Gillespie.

“Siddy (Ryan Sidebottom) pulled up stiff on the morning of the game; his back was just too stiff and he didn’t feel he could get through the match, and it left us short.

“A couple of our second team bowlers were struggling at the time, and we made the decision to make Anthony McGrath our third-choice seamer, with Steve Patterson and Moin Ashraf as the frontline seamers.

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“I just felt, then, that we were a little bit light and that, going into Division One, we needed to add more strength in depth.

“At this stage, the lads we’ve brought in, Brooks and Plunkett, have been absolutely fantastic.

“Their attitude and their effort has been spot on.

“You just have to look at the guys who are missing out – Moin Ashraf, Rich Pyrah; these are quality players, quality individuals.

“We knew we needed to have a strong seam attack if we wanted to not just compete in Division One, but actually challenge.”

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Gillespie said he understood concerns surrounding Yorkshire’s batting – particularly with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow away with England.

But he said men such as Adil Rashid – 401 Championship runs at 200.50 – have stepped up to the plate in magnificent style.

People have questioned what our batting is like without our England stars, and they are right to ask that,” added Gillespie.

“Obviously, a great player in Anthony McGrath, who played such an important part in our promotion last year, has retired, and the key is you need someone to come in and fill that void and step up.

“But you look at the way someone like Adil has come in and done that.

“He’s been superb this season.”