Playing by the seaside will suit us, says Gillespie

A bumper crowd of between 5,000-8,000 is expected for the start of the match between leaders Yorkshire and second-placed Durham at North Marine Road.

The game has all the makings of a title decider and first-team coach Gillespie believes the Yorkshire public can help give his side an edge.

However, the former Australia fast bowler stopped short of saying that victory would give Yorkshire one hand on the trophy and believes it would be wrong to look too far ahead.

“It would be nice if the crowd could do that (be our 12th man),” said Gillespie.

“The supporters have been magnificent all season and the players and coaching staff really appreciate their efforts.

“The lads love playing at Scarborough and everything about the place, so they’re really looking forward to the next four days.

“There’s always great support and it’s a great pitch too, while we usually play pretty well at the ground.”

Yorkshire go into the match 25.5 points ahead of Durham with four games to play.

There are a maximum of 24 points available for each Championship win and Durham have a fixture in hand.

Yorkshire conclude their campaign against Sussex (A), Middlesex (H) and Surrey (A), while Durham finish off against Sussex (H), Derbyshire (A), Nottinghamshire (H) and Sussex (A).

Yorkshire are in the box seat as the season enters its business end, but Gillespie said they can take nothing for granted.

“If we do win this week, it puts us in a really strong position, there’s no denying that, but four days is a long time in Championship cricket – a session is a long time in Championship cricket,” he said.

“We know that we can’t afford to let our foot off the gas for even half an hour, and that’s what we keep reiterating to the lads: be disciplined, be consistent for the whole time, not just for periods.

“The supporters are excited, everyone’s excited about what potentially could happen, but if we look too far ahead we’ll take our eye off the present.

“We have to continue to make sure we set our standards as high as we can in everything we do; we don’t want to start looking beyond the next game.”

Gillespie’s caution is understandable, his attitude sensible.

Yorkshire are going to take some serious stopping from here; the manner of their 10-wicket win against Nottinghamshire last week suggested they are not for the catching.

At the same time, there are still four games to go, which equates to one-quarter of the 16-match programme.

That is still time aplenty for twists and turns.

“Look, we’ve played some really good Championship cricket this summer,” said Gillespie.

“The way our seamers bowled at Notts, for example, was incredible; it was very disciplined and very impressive.

“We played really well against Notts but this is a new game, a new challenge, different conditions.

“We have to be switched on this week right from ball one.

“We also realise that Durham have played one game less than us, and that they’ve just come off a big win against Surrey, so they’re a team in really good form.

“We certainly cannot afford to underestimate their threat.

“At the same time, we also know that if we do everything we can to give ourselves the best opportunity of winning, right from our training and preparation, that we can compete with anyone in this competition.

“We’ve shown that throughout the season and the challenge now is to keep it going.”

Yorkshire are boosted this week by the return of Gary Ballance, who missed the match at Trent Bridge due to England Lions’ duty, along with the absence of Graham Onions in the visitors’ ranks.

The England pace bowler is recovering from a broken finger – a bitter blow to a Durham team in which he is leading Championship wicket-taker with 44 at 20.77.

Yorkshire also go into the match with good memories of their most recent Championship meeting with the North East club.

At Chester-le-Street in April, Joe Root’s magnificent 182 helped Yorkshire chase 336 – the fourth-highest pursuit in their 150-year history.

That game has assumed greater significance as the season has advanced, for having lost their opening Championship match at home to Sussex, and played poorly in the first half of the second one in Chester-le-Street, that run-chase effectively gave Yorkshire the momentum and self-belief that has flowed ever since.

The club have not lost a Championship fixture subsequently and, in all honesty, have not looked like losing one.

Indeed, that is perhaps the biggest problem for Durham and the chasing pack – the fact that Yorkshire have not so much looked vulnerable let alone proved so.

Gates open at 9.30am at North Marine Road this morning for members and from 10.00am to the general public.
Tickets are available at the ground priced £15 adults and £10 concessions.

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Williamson hoping to show his true colours: Page 25.