Tykes run rule over incomers (From Gazette & Herald)

Yorkshire run rule over incomers

11:19am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in Sport

Yorkshire will have to turn their attention to other fast bowling targets after missing out on the signing of James Harris from Glamorgan.

The England Lions seamer, aged 22, has signed a deal with Middlesex despite interest from the White Rose county, who have made no secret of their desire to provide competition for the likes of Ryan Sidebottom, Steve Patterson and Moin Ashraf.

It is thought Northamptonshire’s Jack Brooks is high on the county’s list of priorities after exercising a release clause in his contract. Yorkshire were interested in the 28-year-old midway through last year before he opted to sign a new deal.

Former England Test bowler Sajid Mahmood could be another target having been released from Lancashire last week.

“Work is ongoing in terms of trying to make signings,” confirmed Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon.

“There’s nothing to report. We’re in discussions, but nothing definite’s happened yet.”

Anthony McGrath’s future at the club is also still to be decided, with talks between both parties ongoing.

McGrath will not fly out to South Africa next Tuesday for their Champions League t20 campaign, starting for Yorkshire on October 9.

Yorkshire will have overseas batsman David Miller available for the first of their two qualifying matches against Uva Next, but he will not be available again until the last of four group ‘B’ matches against the Chennai Super Kings in Durban on October 22 should the county qualify for the group stages.

The powerful left-hander would then be available for the semi-final and the final on October 25 to 26 and 28.

Miller will instead play two four-day matches for the Dolphins in Pietermaritzburg between October 11 and 14 and 18 and 21.

Yorkshire will base themselves at St Stithians College in the Randberg area of Johannesburg next week before training at the Wanderers the day before their matches against Uva and then Trinidad and Tobago at Supersport Park in Centurion on October 9 and 10.

“With it being at altitude, we need to have a couple of days to allow the lads to get used to that,” said Moxon.

“We will have a couple of days of light training to get their bodies moving at altitude. Then we’ve got three days of good practice before the two matches.

“We’ve not got any warm-up games against other teams, but we’ll probably play a practice game among ourselves with a few of the St Stithians cricketers.

“Players from their first XI will make up the numbers.”

Should Yorkshire make it into the group stages, their first match will be against their bowler Mitchell Starc’s Sydney Sixers at Newlands in Cape Town. They would also play the Mumbai Indians and Highveld Lions.