'We want to give Ottis a good send-off': Yorkshire CCC star George Hill

GEORGE HILL, the Yorkshire all-rounder, has said that the players have an extra motivation to win County Championship promotion - to give Ottis Gibson, their departing head coach, a successful send-off.

Gibson is leaving at the end of the season after three years in charge at the Headingley helm.

The Yorkshire hierarchy wants to move in a different direction, with Anthony McGrath, the former Yorkshire all-rounder, understood to be a favoured replacement.

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All will be revealed, with Gibson’s role having just been advertised. In the meantime, and as the Championship programme resumes on Thursday, when third-placed Yorkshire take on Sussex, the leaders, at Scarborough, Hill spoke of that twin inspiration as the season enters its last six weeks.

George Hill receives some pointers from Ottis Gibson ahead of a game at Headingley last season. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.comGeorge Hill receives some pointers from Ottis Gibson ahead of a game at Headingley last season. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
George Hill receives some pointers from Ottis Gibson ahead of a game at Headingley last season. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

“There’s still a big chance of going up,” said Hill, with Yorkshire only 27 points behind Sussex and just four behind Middlesex, who occupy the second and final promotion place.

“We’ve got Sussex and Middlesex in our next two games, the top two teams, and if we can dislodge them…

“Especially with ‘Gibbo’ going as well, we want to send him off in a nice way. One hundred per cent we want to do that, so there’s definitely a lot to play for.”

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Hill, 23, has made all but seven of his 42 Championship appearances under Gibson, having debuted in 2021 before the club fell.

Able to affect games with bat, ball and in the field. George Hill celebrates running out Ari Karvelas, of Sussex, during a One-Day Cup fixture at York last month. Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.comAble to affect games with bat, ball and in the field. George Hill celebrates running out Ari Karvelas, of Sussex, during a One-Day Cup fixture at York last month. Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com
Able to affect games with bat, ball and in the field. George Hill celebrates running out Ari Karvelas, of Sussex, during a One-Day Cup fixture at York last month. Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com

He achieved his maiden century, in fact, in Gibson’s second match in charge - a magnificent innings of 151 not out against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road - and is grateful for the opportunities he has had under the West Indian.

“‘Gibbo’ has helped the young lads,” said Hill. “He’s probably played me more games than he should have done this year with the bat, and I haven’t really done him justice with that.

“He picked me when I first came in, and he’s been really good with me, so he definitely deserves that send-off.

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"We’ve got a good record at Scarborough, we won our most recent two Championship games by an innings, and although we were definitely underperforming to start with this year, those wins have ignited us a little bit and hopefully now we can keep that going.”

The victories to which Hill referred, prior to the break for the latter part of the T20 Blast group stage and then the One-Day Cup up to and including the semi-finals, have given Yorkshire’s season a different look.

Prior to those triumphs over Gloucestershire by an innings and 22 at Scarborough, and then by an innings and 204 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, they were languishing second-bottom of the Second Division - winless in 30 of their 34 Championship fixtures under Gibson, in fact.

Now they have every opportunity, as Hill said, of returning to a First Division from which they were relegated in Gibson’s first season and ensuring that his successor has the chance to fight for the title in 2025.

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After this week’s fixture, Yorkshire’s run-in continues against Middlesex at Headingley (August 29-September 1), Leicestershire at Grace Road (September 9-12), Glamorgan at Cardiff (September 17-20) and Northamptonshire at Headingley (September 26-29).

Of course, for Yorkshire to win promotion, following yet another underwhelming year in white-ball cricket, a collective effort will clearly be required.

At his best, Hill is a vital cog in that combined operation, able to affect games with the bat, ball and in the field.

He is refreshingly candid in terms of his own game, targeting an improvement with the bat, especially, at the season’s business end.

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In eight Championship games this year, Hill is averaging 22 with the bat but 28 with the ball – tellingly, perhaps, he has risen to the occasion in the sense that his best bowling figures (4-22) came in the away game at Sussex and his highest score (75) in the away game at Middlesex, another important attribute he brings to the table.

Hill has been in good form lately with the ball in particular, his 6-28 against beaten semi-finalists Warwickshire at Rugby in the One-Day Cup the seventh-best figures in Yorkshire’s one-day history, and their best against county opposition since Paul Jarvis captured 6-27 against Somerset at Taunton in 1989.

“Overall, my form has been average,” admitted Hill. “My batting has been a bit poor but, luckily, being an all-rounder, hopefully I can perform with the ball, and I’ve been alright with the ball, to be fair.

“But it’s been a pretty frustrating season with the bat; I’ve not really had a huge amount of rhythm, but it’s an important back end of the season now, a massive five games coming up.

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“I don’t feel I’m out of nick, particularly, I’ve just been getting out in any way. I wish it was just a technical flaw and it was like ‘work on that and it will all be fine’; it’s just silly things and finding ways to get out.”

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