Injured McGrath could miss opener for Yorkshire

YORKSHIRE batsman Anthony McGrath faces a race against time to be fit for the club’s opening County Championship match of the season.

McGrath has developed a nerve problem in his right leg ahead of the first fixture against Worcestershire at New Road on April 8.

Yorkshire have sent McGrath for a scan to ascertain the extent of his injury.

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The 35-year-old recently underwent an operation on his left knee to rectify a torn cartilage.

Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon said: “At the moment, ‘Mags’ is a doubt for the Worcester game, but we’ll know more after the scan.

“The knee he had operated on is fine, but he’s developed a nerve problem down the right side of his leg.

“He could be struggling for next week, but we’ll have to wait and see.

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“If that’s the case, we could be looking for another No 3 potentially, but we’re crossing our fingers that ‘Mags’ will be fit.”

McGrath developed the problem during Yorkshire’s pre-season tour to Barbados.

Moxon believes it could be a direct result of the former England all-rounder compensating for the injury in his other leg.

“We think it’s probably due to him compensating for his left knee as it were,” he said.

“It’s probably related, but the scan will show more.

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“It’s frustrating because ‘Mags’ had come back well from the other problem and, within a few days of us getting to Barbados, was batting with throw-downs and then, at the end of the trip, batting in the middle against the bowlers.

“He also played a full part in a net session we had on Monday morning, but the nerve problem came back and then became quite acute.”

McGrath promises to be a key player this summer.

Last season he enjoyed something of a renaissance, scoring 1,219 Championship runs at 43.53 to help the team finish third in the table.

His presence could be even more important this year, with Yorkshire having lost the small matter of 2,500 runs in all competitions following the departure of Jacques Rudolph.

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It leaves McGrath as comfortably the most experienced batsman on Yorkshire’s books and a key figure in the upper-order.

Should McGrath not make it for New Road, it would open the door for another of the club’s up-and-coming youngsters.

The most likely candidates to replace him would be Joe Root or Gary Ballance, who did their chances no harm on the pre-season tour.

Both produced good performances in the West Indies and have been identified by Moxon as having a potentially important role following Rudolph’s exit.

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Root furthered his claims yesterday with an innings of 46 against Leeds-Bradford University at Headingley on the opening day of a two-day friendly.

“It’s up in the air as to who would come in if ‘Mags’ isn’t fit,” said Moxon.

“Joe has put himself in the frame and so has Gary, so we’ve certainly got options. The good thing from my point of view is that there’s plenty of competition for the Worcester match.

“Hopefully we’ll have ‘Mags’ available but, if we don’t, there are other players knocking on the door.”

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Moxon pronounced himself satisfied with the pre-season tour.

The squad spent 12 days in Barbados and played matches among themselves as well as taking part in a Twenty20 competition and 40-over contests.

“The results were a bit of a mixed bag, just as they were last year, but that isn’t important at this stage,” said Moxon.

“The main thing was to get outdoor practice and outdoor match play and to take a look at a few people.

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“We had a relatively inexperienced squad with the various England players missing, but we played extremely well to beat Hampshire in a Twenty20 match and there were lots of positives.

“It was also our only opportunity to practise one-day cricket ahead of the season and we got a bit of a taster for that.”

Moxon was heartened by the performances of those such as Root and all-rounder Lee Hodgson, who will be targeting more first-team chances this year.

He was also pleased with the work of new signing Ryan Sidebottom, of whom much is expected this summer.

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“Ryan looked very sharp and I’m sure he’ll have a good season,” added Moxon.

“He showed all his experience in the Caribbean and looked in control of what he was doing.

“He was very good with the other bowlers as well, which is important.

“Ryan was very willing to share information and ideas and he can be a big asset to us in a number of ways.”

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Yorkshire plan to play a two-day practice match among themselves at Headingley next Monday and Tuesday.

“That will be our last outdoor practice before the Worcester game so I’m crossing my fingers we’ll have good weather,” added Moxon.

“That game would round things off nicely from a preparation point of view and I’m pretty happy with where we’re at right now.

“Everyone played a part on the pre-season tour and we’re shaping up nicely for the Worcester game. There’s a tremendous feeling of excitement in the camp.”

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Gerard Brophy boosted his hopes of featuring at Worcester with an innings of 130 against Leeds-Bradford yesterday.

Brophy’s knock underpinned a Yorkshire total of 336-8, the South African sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 137 with Azeem Rafiq (42). Naweed Ghany took 3-40 for the students.