Yorkshire CCC happy to go with what they have but “always looking” to strengthen
THE transfer window may have closed in football but in cricket it remains permanently ajar.
Anthony McGrath, the Yorkshire head coach, said that the club is ready to “go with what we’ve got” for the closing stages of the County Championship season but that it is “always looking” to strengthen if possible.
His comments come after Imam-ul-Haq, the overseas batsman, was recalled by the Pakistan national set-up, ruling him out of the last three Championship games as the club seeks to preserve its Division One status.
Yorkshire face Somerset in Taunton from Monday, then Sussex at Hove from the following Monday before finishing their season against Durham at Headingley from September 24. They are 12 points above the relegation zone – but just 23 points from third position.
Asked whether Yorkshire are looking to replace Imam, whose brilliant form helped them to the semi-finals of the One-Day Cup, or recruit extra assistance in general, McGrath said: “We’re always looking.
“At the moment, we’ll go with what we’ve got.
"With the injuries we’ve had, and the various ups and down this year… look, we’ll see how the injuries are because, yeah, you’ve always got to keep your eye out.
“If there is someone of real quality, then we’ll do what we can if we have time to bring someone in, but that’s the situation.”
McGrath had two main injury concerns after the semi-final defeat to Hampshire in Scarborough.
Ben Coad, the 31-year-old pace bowler, who suffered a hamstring injury after bowling just 17 balls in the cup win against Durham at Scarborough on August 22 has not played since and faces a fight to feature again this summer.
Matt Milnes, another 31-year-old pace bowler who is leaving the club at the end of the season to rejoin Kent, “felt his groin a little bit” in the semi-final, according to McGrath, who said that he would be further assessed.
Regardless of whether Yorkshire can strengthen, or in which area, there is no doubt that Imam’s contribution - and the club’s recruitment of him - was a great success.
He hit four hundreds and three fifties in his eight innings in the One-Day Cup, impressing on-and-off the field.
“He was incredible - not just his runs, but also the way that he was with the other players, talking them through various things,” added McGrath.
“When he was batting, he had so much composure and control. And that’s where that bit of experience comes in, because I hear sometimes - ‘just play young lads in the Metro Bank’ (One-Day Cup).
“It doesn’t work like that. You need that experience, and it showed with Imam.
"He brought that calmness, and the lads would have learned a lot from him.
“Hopefully, having spent time with him batting, they have picked up on not just how to build an innings, but also how to go and make match-winning contributions.
“If he hadn’t got run-out in the semi-final (scoring 105 before losing his footing), we would probably have won.
"It was just one of those things, and he’s been incredible.”
Meanwhile, four Yorkshire players are on the auction list for the SA20 franchise competition.
Dom Bess, Will Luxton, Adam Lyth and Jordan Thompson are among 541 players (300 South Africans and 241 overseas) hoping to be signed in the auction on September 9.
There are 84 spaces available in the six teams, including 25 overseas.
The tournament in South Africa runs from December 26-January 26.