‘Stokes to soaks’ - Roses games ends in Headingley wash-out

On August 25, 2019, Headingley was bathed in sunshine as Ben Stokes masterminded one of the greatest comebacks in cricket history.

Twelve months on, the ground was swimming in rain – not so much a case of “Stokes”, in fact, as “soaks”, with no play possible on the final day of the Roses game.

Yorkshire took 11 points from the match – eight for the draw, plus three bonus points – to consolidate second place in the North Group ahead of the final round of fixtures that starts on September 6.

They are five points behind Derbyshire, who face Lancashire at Liverpool, with Yorkshire entertaining Leicestershire at Headingley.

On paper, Yorkshire have the easier match but they need to finish not just above Derbyshire, but also as one of the two group winners with the most points from the three regional sections to reach the final.

Somerset lead the Central Group with 76 points and Essex top the South Group with 70 points; Yorkshire have 66 points.

The permutations are complex but Andrew Gale, the Yorkshire first team coach, said: “First and foremost, we’ve got to try and finish top of the group. That’s got to be the main focus.

“As soon as you start going into games and trying to force them and force points, you get too far ahead of yourself.

“I’ve learnt a few cruel lessons in the past on that, so we’ll be going in to obviously win the game but not chase it, not thinking about ‘Well, we need 400 or we need to bowl them out for less than 200’, or whatever.

“I just think if we go about our business as we have done in the previous rounds then we’ll be on the right end of the result,” added Gale.

Yorkshire could have batsman Dawid Malan back for that game if he is not part of England’s one-day international squad for the three-match series against Australia.

First-choice pace bowlers Ben Coad and Matthew Fisher should also be fit after injury.

In the absence of their international stars/injured players, Gale has been delighted with Yorkshire’s efforts in the Bob Willis Trophy.

He has given opportunities to a number of young players who have grabbed their chance and let nobody down.

“They’ve done really well,” said Gale. “They’ve had a taste of first-class cricket and it’s been fantastic for me as a coach to teach these young lads about the game.

“I’m really, really enjoying my job at the minute because working with these young players, they’ve made really big strides in a short space of time.

“You can work with them all winter but until they get a taste of first-class cricket, first-team cricket, you never quite know if they’re up to it.

“They’ve had a taste of what it’s about now and they’ll know going into the winter this year what they’ll need to work on and how they need to go about their business and what they need to do to be successful.”

Yorkshire are unbeaten in the tournament after victories in their first two matches at Durham and Notts before two weather-affected home draws against Derbyshire and Lancashire.

The Roses game was something of a non-event, with no fewer than 212 overs lost to the elements as Lancashire were left stranded on 195-5 in reply to Yorkshire’s first innings 260.

“We’re in a good place,” added Gale.

“Winning the first two games, that was fantastic.

“We probably had the better of the draw against Derby and were driving the game, and the Roses game was evenly-matched but, given the players that we’re missing and the young players coming into the side, it was a bloody good effort on our part.

“Going into the last round of fixtures we’ve still got a chance of getting to Lord’s, so I’m really pleased with the way that it’s gone.”

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James Mitchinson