2006/07 Review - A Long Winter

A tense conclusion to the 2006 campaign saw Yorkshire narrowly escape relegation in their first full season back in Division One. Too often the side had to rely on Aussie legend Darren Lehmann and former captain Anthony McGrath to bat them out of trouble. First innings totals were poor and Yorkshire missed out on valuable bonus points saving their best batting for the second innings.

The pace bowling was hindered by injuries to young all rounder Tim Bresnan and leading wicket taker Deon Kruis. New overseas player Jason Gillespie disappointed with a relatively meagre haul of wickets leaving much of the work to be done by 'spin twins' Adil Rashid and Mark Lawson.

Only recently out of the 2nd XI the two young leg spinners made the most of some dry late summer pitches to bowl Yorkshire to safety. After Rashid was selected for his batting at Scarborough he took six second innings wickets against Warwickshire suggesting he could be the all rounder to bring some much needed balance to the Yorkshire side.

Over the winter Lehmann returned to Australia signing off his Yorkshire career with 339 against Durham, Michael Lumb moved to Hampshire, Richard Dawson was released and signed for Northants, Craig White stepped down as captain and Anthony McGrath announced he no longer wanted to play for Yorkshire.

In a bold attempt to fill both the vacant captaincy and replace some of Lehmann's runs YCCC attempted to sign Sussex captain Chris Adams. County champions Sussex agreed to the deal and Adams initially accepted only to have an 11th hour change of heart and return to Hove.

Captainless Yorkshire seemed to be in disarray. Lehmann, McGrath and Lumb had accounted for over half the runs scored in 2006 and the batting line up was beginning to look fragile.

Then came the first good news. Younus Khan signed as an overseas player. A batsmen of pedigree who had racked up a double century for Pakistan at Headingly Carnegie last summer.

With Adams having disrupted recruitment plans and McGrath still wanting to play elsewhere YCCC made the shock appointment of Kolpak Jaques Rudolph. The South African test batsmen had finally tired of the Proteas' selection policy, like Kevin Pietersen before him, and committed himself to three years with Yorkshire. Although eyebrows were raised at the appointment of a Kolpak player Rudolph brought considerable calibre to a batting lineup now beginning to look more robust.

Jason Gillespie was re-signed as the second overseas player in the hope he could improve on his economical but slightly toothless bowling of 2005. Australia's 5th most prolific test wicket taker was having a good winter for South Australia and still harboured hopes of a return to test cricket.

With the departure of controversial Director of Cricket David Byas there were two leadership positions to be filled. With no obvious captain material amongst the Yorkshire side a suitable outside candidate was searched for. Enter Darren Gough. With his old enemy Byas gone the prodigal son returned from his three year spell at Essex. The 36 year old had been omitted from the England World Cup squad and took up the last major challenge of his playing career.

Gough brought not only his bubbly personality and experience but also some solid pace bowling and aggressive one day batting, reinforcing Yorkshire's lower order. His ambitions were to lighten what had been a gloomy dressing room atmosphere and help the players to once again enjoy their cricket.

The Director of Cricket position was filled by another former Yorkshire player. Martyn Moxon was somehow prised away from Durham where he had spent five years turning around the counties fortunes. During his time there Steve Harmison, Paul Collingwood and Liam Plunkett all became part of the England set up.

With the team improved, the school masterly Byas gone and Gough and Moxon back to lead the side Anthony McGrath finally decided he did want to remain a Yorkshire player. This final piece of the jigsaw transformed Yorkshire's middle order into one of the most powerful in the country. His effective medium pace bowling was a further addition to Yorkshire's ageing pace attack.

After a tumultuous winter Yorkshire had somehow emerged with a strong team, on paper at least and renewed hope of a successful 2007 campaign.