County Cricket

• Twenty20 Means Business
  Paul Coupar follows the circus around the country and learns how important T20 is
• No More Tall Tales In Smoky Rooms
  Ed Smith on how counties have changed and why the amateur ethos may return

Captain  Darren Gough
Coach  Martyn Moxon
In  Gary Ballance (Der), Morne Morkel (SA), Rana Naved (Sus), Chris Taylor (Der)
Out  Chris Gilbert (rel), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak), Greg Norton, Nick Thornicroft (both rel), Matthew Wood (Gla), Younis Khan (Pak)
Last year  So-so
LVCC D1     6th
Pro40 D2     6th
FP Trophy     5th in group
Twenty20     Quarter-finalists
Ronnie Irani Gough’s dancing is keeping him fit and he led them astutely last year. I can see them doing better in the Championship, with a decent attack and runs from Rudolph and Anthony McGrath.
Predictions  CC 6th (D1) P40 5th (D2)

Revolving door The tall opener Chris Taylor returns after resurrecting his career at Derbyshire. The South African quick bowler Morne Morkel will be the overseas man for the first half of the season. Matthew Wood has joined Glamorgan and Younis Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq are not returning.
Winter wonderland The one-day name ‘Yorkshire Phoenix’ has returned to the ashes after a decade. This year the side will be known as ‘Yorkshire Carnegie’, after the club signed a “substantial” five-year deal with Leeds Met University, which is supported by the Carnegie Trust.
Strengths The Darren Gough factor. And no shortage of batting depth with Tim Bresnan at eight, Gough at nine and Morkel a more than useful lower-order man. So is Ajmal Shahzad for that matter.
Weaknesses Inconsistency. On their day they can beat anybody, in any competition. But last year there were too many downright bad days.
Best-case scenario For half of 2007 Yorkshire looked and played like winners. If they can keep it going for six months instead of three there could be a trophy in the cabinet come September.
Worst-case scenario The division has perhaps never been stronger. A repeat of last season’s second-half slide would mean more than dropping out of contention.
Young one to watch  Adam Lyth - A flamboyant former England Under-19 batsman, he is on the brink of a senior breakthrough.
Key man  Adil Rashid  In 2007 he hit 837 first-class runs (at over 40) and took 43 wickets (unfortunately also at over 40). If England don’t come calling, he could do even better.
What they say “The standard will be high and every point will be important. Our challenge is to go from being competitive to winning a trophy, trying to avoid the two or three really bad games that cost us so dearly last season. Goughie is as enthusiastic as ever and, if this is going to be his last season, he wants to go out on a high. We’re looking for Adil Rashid to develop further as an all-round cricketer and Tim Bresnan will be all the better for his first winter off in four years.” Martyn Moxon, director of cricket

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