Yorkshire's first team are having a well deserved break this week whilst the second XI get a run out against Loughborough University. As the youngsters try and stake their claim for a first team chance the prospective bowling attack for 2008 already looks a little thin.
The start to season '07 has been electric thanks in part to excellent bowling performances from Matthew Hoggard, Darren Gough, Jason 'Dizzy' Gillespie as well as youngsters Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid. However the pace attack for next year could be led by Bresnan and one of the young quicks from the 2nd XI such as the raw Ajmal Shahzad. Hoggard (and maybe Rashid) will be with England, Gough's, then 37, year old body may not be up for another season and with only one overseas player will Gillespie be retained? Yorkshire's other veteran paceman Deon Kruis is also in his twilight years and has already suffered a hamstring strain this season. His Kolpak status also means he could incur Yorkshire a financial penalty when playing with fellow foreigners Jacques Rudolph, Younus Khan and Gillespie.
Thankfully Tim Bresnan has showed signs of maturity with both bat and ball and could be vital next year. But behind him, none of the youngsters, Rashid aside, have done anything which demands their selection in the first team. Ajmal Shahzad is next in line and has already played for the 1st XI against Durham this year. Nick Thornicroft, Steve Patterson, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, James Lee and Greg Norton are all playing regularly for the Academy and 2XI sides. But where Yorkshire have quantity do they have quality?
Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon and captain Gough have shown they want to blood the youngsters in the one day games, already giving Friends Provident run outs to Patterson, Richard Pyrah and Chris Gilbert. It is to be expected that the rest will see some first team action this summer. But with so many players vying to make the step up each young bowler will have to make the most of chances like this weeks friendly against LUCCE.
An 'attack' of Shahzad, Patterson and Thornicroft looks like one unable to compete in Division 1 when compared to this year's heavyweight trio of Gough, Gillespie and Kruis. Therefore it is imperative that Yorkshire look to recruit some quality bowling talent during the winter, should the three old warhorses be deemed unable or unsuitable. Hopefully one will be a star overseas bowler to replace the Australian but that leaves two spots to fill. Many Yorkshire fans may like to see the return of former Yorkshire championship winners Steve Kirby and Ryan Sidebottom. These two may be an 'old boys' reunion too far but it is these sort of English qualified county pro's that would bolster Yorkshire's bowling department.
With the ECB's financial penalties for playing cricketers not eligible for England selection the Kolpak route may be too painful on Yorkshire's pocket. After the furore (and success) of the Jacques Rudolph signing Yorkshire may want to avoid replacing Kruis with a younger, better Kolpak bowler. However it may have to be looked at should the battle be lost for any available English players. Should this happen Yorkshire would have 1 overseas player and two Kolpak players, the rest being English qualified and mostly Yorkshire born.
Moxon, Gough and Yorkshire fans will be hoping that the county can continue its tradition of producing top class young fast bowlers in time for next season. Who will be the next Gough, Hoggard, Silverwood or Sidebottom? It will be hoped this weeks match could provide some clues.
