January, 17, 2025-05:25
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The three emerging stars to watch and the four overseas players they’re eyeing
Anthony McGrath has refused to set limits on Yorkshire's goals for the season, asserting that a club of its stature should always be in the running for the County Championship title.
Despite having just returned to the top flight, the newly appointed head coach McGrath believes that promotion should not stand in the way of success. Drawing from his experience as part of Essex's backroom staff when they followed promotion with a championship win in 2017, McGrath is confident that Yorkshire can aim for silverware. “A club like this should never be in transition,” McGrath told Mail Sport. “I know every team faces ups and downs, but the players want to compete at the top.” He continued, “If my message was ‘let’s just try and survive,’ that would shift the mindset dramatically. With the squad we have, and hopefully adding a couple of strong overseas players, we should be competing in both the Championship and T20 cricket.”
McGrath emphasized, “It’s not just a casual comment. I firmly believe Yorkshire should be aiming for titles every year, and we need to instill that mentality in the players.” He added, “You see the clubs that consistently compete at the top, and some of them don’t have Test grounds, so Yorkshire should be leading the way.” McGrath believes Yorkshire should be competing for honours in both the Championship and T20 cricket. Having led Essex to a Championship and Vitality Blast double in 2019, followed by a Bob Willis Trophy win the next summer, McGrath brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He takes over a Yorkshire team that enters the 2025 season with momentum, having secured five victories in an unbeaten second half of last year’s Division Two campaign. This strong finish saw them edge out Middlesex to claim the runners-up spot behind Sussex.
Although Yorkshire’s Championship title drought has stretched to 10 years—something many would consider a relatively minor setback—McGrath holds himself and the team to higher standards. "Watching from the outside, you could see a real team spirit developing, with some excellent individual performances," McGrath reflects, noting that he was appointed to replace Ottis Gibson prior to the team's resurgence in form. "The most exciting part is that there’s a core group of young players who have gained invaluable experiences, both good and bad. They were brought into the team early, some perhaps before they were fully ready, but I believe this has strengthened them."
McGrath continues, "They now have the belief that they can succeed. Division One will be a step up, but I don’t think they should be intimidated by it." One of the season’s talking points was the surprise of James Wharton’s impressive tally of 833 runs at a Bazball strike rate of 68.89 in nine 2024 matches being overlooked for selection in the England Lions' winter squads. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Fin Bean, who has averaged 40 across two full Championship campaigns, has formed a strong partnership with the prolific Adam Lyth. Additionally, George Hill, two years younger than Harry Brook at Sedbergh School, has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball, averaging 33 with the bat and 26 with the ball in first-class cricket. “Age is on their side, and they’ve already had a solid grounding," says McGrath. "The exciting thing for me is that, with this squad, there will be times when our England players will be available, and their presence will add some star power."