Yorkshire get set for opener against Worcestershire

The 35-year-old had been described as being “80-20” against playing by director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon last week after complications in his recovery from knee surgery, while he did not feature in a two-day intra-squad match at Headingley on Monday and Tuesday.

Joe Root, the 20-year-old batsman, has also been included in the party as cover if the decision is taken to leave him out of the 11.

There is disappointment for left-hander Gary Ballance, who had a successful winter playing first-class cricket in Zimbabwe and scored a century in the aforementioned intra-squad match, because he does not travel.

Adam Lyth and fit-again Joe Sayers will almost certainly form the new opening partnership in Championship cricket, although there is no confirmation as to whether it will be Gerard Brophy or Jonny Bairstow who keeps wicket.

There are also places in the squad for pace bowler Moin Ashraf, 19, and left-arm spinner David Wainwright.

It means Sayers, who has made an encouraging recovery from a bout of post viral fatigue syndrome, is the direct replacement for prolific South African Jacques Rudolph, who relinquished his status as a Kolpak player last September.

But Moxon has refused to put all the onus on just one player making up the 1,000-plus four-day runs per summer that Rudolph scored. Instead, he has demanded a team effort.

He said: “Hopefully the player that comes into replace Jacques can have a half decent summer.

“Although it would be unrealistic to expect a young player to come in and score 2,000 runs in a season like Jacques did in all competitions last year, what we need is for each player to improve a little bit to help us make up for that kind of haul.

“I don’t want to go into Jacques not being around too much because we’ve got other players here who are more than capable of doing a job.

“Our batting order has got a fair bit of inexperience in there – but, at the same time, it’s a talented one.”

Worcestershire are priced at 1/20 with some bookmakers to be relegated this season, so it could be viewed as an ideal fixture with which to open the campaign for Yorkshire.

Captain Andrew Gale certainly sees it that way.

He said: “If you wanted any game first up, it would probably be Worcester. They’re a team who’s just come up as opposed to somebody like Nottinghamshire or Somerset “But it will still be tough. They are a decent side, which they showed last year by finishing games in two or three days.”

Yorkshire squad: Gale (c), Ashraf, Bairstow, Brophy, Hannon-Dalby, Lyth, McGrath, Patterson, Pyrah, Rashid, Root, Sayers, Sidebottom, Wainwright.

TYKES’ PEN PICTURES

Moin Ashraf, date of birth 5/1/92, Bradford, RFM
Teenager burst on to scene with nine wickets in two Championship matches last summer, including five-for against Kent. 2011 is his first year as a full-time pro. Oozes confidence. Cannot wait to get started.

Jonny Bairstow, 26/9/89, Bradford, RHB, WK
Spent his winter with ECB Performance Programme and England Lions squads. Future Test star, who has yet to score a hundred as a professional. Classy stroke-maker. Cool as a cucumber. Will surely break his ton duck this summer.

Gary Ballance, 22/11/89, Harare (Zimbabwe), LHB
One of three contenders to replace Jacques Rudolph as Championship opener, and arguably leading the race. Has had a successful winter playing first-class cricket in his native Zimbabwe. Career average rocketed from 18 to 42.52.

Tim Bresnan, 28/2/85, Pontefract, RHB, RFM
A winter to remember – most of all because he took the final wicket to help England to retain the Ashes in glorious fashion at MCG. Remains to be seen how much county cricket he will play this summer.

Gerard Brophy, 26/11/75, Welkom (South Africa), RHB, WK
2011 beneficiary, Brophy started last summer out of four-day side in favour of Bairstow behind stumps. Mr Reliable looks set to start this time around with Bairstow playing as a batsman.

Andrew Gale, (cpt) 28/11/83, Dewsbury, LHB
Who could argue with the suggestion that Gale is a future England captain after taking to his first season in charge of Yorkshire like a duck to water? Runs must come first, though. Another who has wintered abroad with England’s second string.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby, 20/6/89, Halifax, RFM
34 Championship wickets in his first full season of four-day cricket was an impressive return. Did not bowl with white ball last year, which will be an aim this. Has to guard against that famous second season syndrome.

Lee Hodgson, 29/6/86, Middlesbrough, RHB, RM
Despite being set to embark upon his third season at his home county, White Rose fans have seen very little of the all-rounder. Will have to stack up performances early in second team campaign to move up the pecking order.

James Lee, 23/12/88, Sheffield, RMF
Made Championship debut in a Roses match in 2006, but has only played once since due to injury and loss of form. In a similar boat to Hodgson in that he simply has to pull up trees in the seconds to gain higher honours.

Adam Lyth, 25/9/82, Whitby, LHB
One of four Tykes to have spent his winter racking up air miles with England’s second string. Four-day opener scored 2,074 runs in all competitions last term, including 1,509 in Championship. Great to watch when on song. Anthony McGrath, 6/10/75, Bradford, RHB, RM
Former skipper was one of three men to score 1,000 four-day runs in 2010. Has a pivotal role to play again as senior figure in a young squad. Knee operation last month has hampered preparations for new campaign.

Steve Patterson, 3/10/83, Hull, RMF
Superb season for the 27-year-old, who has not had as much experience as his age suggests. 45 wickets in Championship last term, including best of 5-50, while Gale described him as one of the leading lights in Twenty20. More of the same, please.

Rich Pyrah, 1/11/82, Dewsbury, RHB, RM
Could benefit from Bresnan’s burgeoning England career. Despite only playing six Championship matches last term, he was joint leading wicket-taker in CB40 with 19 and second in the Twenty20 rankings with 21. Handy with the bat and a gun in the field.

Azeem Rafiq, 27/2/91, Karachi (Pakistan), OB
Infamous Twitter outburst ended his summer early last term. All the ability in the world with the ball, and can bat too. Already scored a first-class ton. Needs to watch his step off the field to progress.

Gurman Randhawa, 15/1/92, Huddersfield, SLA
New on the professional staff, the teenage spinner went on a winter tour of Sri Lanka with England under-19s. Has won the YCCC Academy player of the year award for last two summers.

Adil Rashid, 17/2/88, Bradford, RHB, LB
Fourth White Rose star to winter with England Lions, and earned a late call-up to England’s World Cup squad. Took 93 wickets in all competitions last season. Won Australian domestic T20 title as South Australia’s overseas in January. Best prospect at Headingley for years.

Joe Root, 30/12/90, Sheffield, RHB
Outside bet to replace Rudolph at top of Championship order, the former England under-19s opener also spent part of his winter in Adelaide like Rashid. He was at Darren Lehmann’s Academy. Impressed on pre season tour to Barbados.

Ben Sanderson, 3/1/89, Sheffield, RMF
Played almost half of Yorkshire’s CB40 campaign in 2010, but failed to break into the other two formats apart from one Twenty20 encounter. Had surgery on a perforated appendix last month, ruling him out of tour to Barbados.

Joe Sayers, 5/11/83, Leeds, LHB
Great to see the opener back after a worrying eight months battling post viral fatigue syndrome. Left hander is ready and raring to go. Toss-up between him and Ballance to start season. Has also been working hard on his spin bowling this winter.

Ajmal Shahzad, 27/7/85, Huddersfield, RF
Non-playing member of England’s Ashes winning squad, but his stock has risen after some impressive one-day showings. Yorkshire fans may see a fair bit of their spearhead because he seems to be behind Anderson, Broad, Bresnan, Finn and Tremlett for a Test spot.

Ryan Sidebottom, 15/1/78, Huddersfield, LFM
Now retired from international cricket, the prodigal son returns home with a Championship winner’s medal around his neck after a successful spell at Notts. Best domestic signing on the circuit. Could be Yorkshire’s missing link in Twenty20.

David Wainwright, 21/3/85, Pontefract, LHB, SLA
Forgotten man, his 2010 summer was completely wrecked by injury. Went on an ECB run spin bowling camp to India in February. Hopefully the best is still to come from this genuine all-rounder.