10:17am Friday 3rd September 2010
By Graham Hardcastle
Andrew Gale revealed he may rest a few players from tomorrow’s Clydesdale Bank 40 clash with Essex at Headingley.
With Yorkshire having already qualified for the semi-finals of the one-day competition, their final Group ‘B’ game is essentially a dead fixture for them.
And, although the skipper wants to finish the group campaign on a high and continue their winning momentum in coloured clothing, he is mindful of the bigger picture with the final two LV= County Championship matches to play in the next fortnight as well.
“We will not be going into the Essex game with any preconceived ideas though, and it is very important to keep the winning habit,” said the 26-year-old left-hander.
“We need to make sure we are fully focused from the first ball.
“There are a few niggles around the squad, and it might be an idea to rest a few players.”
Yorkshire will definitely be without Tim Bresnan, who has linked up with England’s Twenty20 squad.
But Ajmal Shahzad is set to play before joining Bresnan for the one-day series against Pakistan.
Gale has described qualifying for the semi-finals of the competition as a “proud” moment.
Yorkshire will find out the identity of their opponents for next week’s knockout match at Scarborough after tomorrow’s final round of group matches.
Somerset have already made it through as the Group ‘A’ winners, and Yorkshire will avoid Marcus Trescothick’s men. But they could play Essex again seeing as James Foster’s side are still in the running to finish as the runners-up to Yorkshire in Group ‘B’.
“It feels great to be into the semi-final, and I’m over the moon,” said Gale, whose side have won ten out of 11 group matches.
“It was important for the lads to take the next step and get through a group stage.
“To reach a semi-final after everybody wrote us off at the start of this season is a great feeling.
“It’s a tough competition because of the format. I think we have had one of the toughest groups as well.
“We have all seen in the past what both Essex and Gloucestershire can do in one-day cricket, so to run out and be top of the league after 11 games is a great achievement.”
Yorkshire have won both of the CB40 matches at North Marine Road this season, against Northamptonshire and Middlesex.
Gale added: “We love playing at Scarborough, and the crowd is always brilliant. But, because the wicket is really good, you are never sure what a good score is. “We have a good record there though, and it is better to have it at home than away.
“Personally, I wish the semi-final could have been at Headingley because we know a formula that works in one-day cricket there.”
Azeem Rafiq is currently making his comeback from a month’s ban following his twitter outburst in Yorkshire’s Second XI Championship match against Surrey at Stamford Bridge.
The seconds go into today’s final day at Low Catton Road with a lead of 275 over Surrey.
Yorkshire made 352-7 declared on day one and the visitors called a halt yesterday on 253-5.
Joe Root then hit 81 and Gary Ballance 72 in an opening stand of 156 – their second 150-plus alliance of the match – before Yorkshire closed on 176-2.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/trade_directory/