Yorkshire CCC: Ottis Gibson hails players after chasing down Championship win

Gibson’s reign began with a six-wicket triumph against Gloucestershire in Bristol.

“I’m delighted, but at the same time I’m very pleased for the squad,” he said. “The squad has been through a lot in recent months and so on, so to start the season with a win is a great thing for everybody concerned – also the fans who travelled down from Yorkshire to come and watch us play.

“So very pleased with the way things turned out, but it’s the first game of 14 so there’s a long way to go yet.

“Our aim is to be in the conversation in the last two weeks of the season to try and win the County Championship, and it’s not going to be all easy days, or easy games; there’s going to be some tough days like we had in this match.”

Yorkshire drove this contest from the start but victory was by no means guaranteed for much of day four as Gloucestershire rallied impressively. James Bracey hit a career-best 177 as the hosts left Gibson’s men a nuisance target of 211 from a minimum of 60 overs.

Thanks to half-centuries from Dawid Malan and Harry Brook, however, they eased home by six wickets with time to spare.

“It was good to see the fight from the lads,” added Gibson. “Sometimes you have to roll your sleeves up and get on with it, which is exactly what they did.

“The chase could have been a tricky chase, but we knew that once we gathered some momentum we could kick on with the likes of Harry Brook, the way he’s playing at the moment, and the way that Dawid Malan plays. Hopefully it sets us up now to have a really good season.”

Brook had a particularly good game, following his first innings 101 with an unbeaten 56.

The 23-year-old is inevitably going to be talked of as an England candidate and Gibson said: “He’s an outstanding player. If he continues to play like that, then he won’t play many games for us.

“I’ve seen his class for a month now. He’s had a little taste of white-ball cricket for England, and if he continues to churn out runs like this, the way he’s playing at the moment, then I think the way things are with the England set-up at the moment, then he’s definitely somebody that could see themselves in that red-ball squad.”

Yorkshire return to action on Thursday at Northants and may have a new overseas signing in place for that game.

Joe Root could potentially return for the first home fixture against Kent the following week.

Match report: Page 5