Outlook only rosy if Tykes triumph

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 23rd Jun 2004.

Yorkshire, unbeaten on their travels in the County Championship this season, need nothing less than a win in their promotion tussle with Hampshire, which was due to start at the Rose Bowl today.

Hampshire stand third in the table and Yorkshire fourth, 22 points adrift, but with top two Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan both looking strong, it is the third promotion spot which is probably up for grabs.

Matthew Wood, captaining Yorkshire in the absence of the injured Craig White, is eager to avoid conceding the double following Hampshire's emphatic win by 119 runs at Headingley in mid-May.

And while Hampshire were busy beating Somerset in the last round of matches, Yorkshire were losing ground through taking only nine points from their rain-ruined draw against Leicestershire.

"It was bitterly disappointing to be foiled by the weather after winning at Chelmsford and Riverside, and we must beat Hampshire in order to close the gap between us," said Yorkshire's director of cricket David Byas.

Although Yorkshire are short on experience through the absence of White (hamstring), Darren Leh-mann (in Australia) and Anthony McGrath (England), Byas was looking forward to watching the younger players.

"There are a number of players in the team who are hungry for first-team cricket and who have occasionally expressed their concern at not getting into the side," said Byas. "But now they have got their chance and it is up to them to seize it with both hands."

If Andy Gray plays, it will be his first game of the season after struggling early on with a broken wrist, and Byas hopes the inclusion of Gray and Vic Craven will give extra bowling options.

England strike bowler Matthew Hoggard is also included but spinner Richard Dawson could make the biggest impact.

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