Less hectic schedule is Tykes’ lucky break (From York Press)

Less hectic schedule is Yorkshire’s lucky break

9:10am Saturday 7th January 2012 in Yorkshire County Cricket Club By Graham Hardcastle

INCOMING first-team coach Jason Gillespie is happy to see a reduced 2012 domestic calendar for his first season in charge at Yorkshire.

The Australian, hoping to arrive at Headingley at the end of this month if work permit regulations allow, will oversee 16 LV= County Championship matches and at least 22 limited overs fixtures.

The Friends Life t20 competition has been reduced from 16 group matches to ten, reverting to the format of three groups of six teams which was used up until the start of the 2010 summer.

Gillespie has plenty of experience of a hectic English summer, having played as an overseas player for Yorkshire and Glamorgan.

And he said: “I’ve played in some incredibly hard county games, make no bones about that. But I did play in some games where the intensity wasn’t quite there.

“I suppose I drew my own conclusion that it was down to the amount of cricket played. At times, at certain periods, a few days break between games allows a player to freshen up a little bit.

“I found at county level that if you play a four-dayer then a one-dayer and back to a four-dayer, sometimes there would be sessions when the intensity wasn’t there.

“Whether it’s tiredness or being sick of the motorway, I’m not sure.

“The county system is slightly reduced this year. I’ve seen the calendar and there’s a few more gaps, which is a good thing.”

As well as applauding the amendments to the fixture list, the 36-year-old from Sydney believes the England team have proved that county cricket is working well.

“It’s hard to argue with the county system at the moment,” he added. “England are number one and performing beautifully.

“I think that Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss need to take a lot of credit for the on-field performance and management of the various players around the country.