Liam Plunkett

By Gary Watton
May 13 2014

Having failed three times so far to secure a win on the road, Yorkshire returned to home comforts at the county headquarters of Headingley and promptly doled out their second thrashing by an innings of a visiting team from the midlands. Our slightly unexpected annihilation of a strong Warwickshire eleven firmly elevates the Tykes into contention for the County Championship.

Funnily enough Yorkshire also trounced Warwickshire by an innings this time last year, although that massacre took place at Edgbaston. It is all the more surprising when one considers that the visitors won the toss. However the hosts took the sting out of the Warwickshire attack, courtesy of a decent opening stand between Lyth and Root. However the Tykes' formidable middle order then under-performed for once. Then, when Warwickshire had restricted the white rose to 294 for 8, Liam Plunkett bludgeoned his team way beyond four hundred runs, with useful support from Patterson and Brooks. This represented the fifth time in five fixtures this spring when Yorkshire amassed a total in excess of four hundred. Well, few people were in doubt about the strength of Yorkshire's batting line-up, but questions have been raised about whether the county could bowl teams out twice and press home their advantage. Happily, the quartet of Bresnan, Brooks, Patterson, and Plunkett emphatically restated their credentials as a potent bowling unit, as well as a very good batting tail.

It was a testimony to the efforts of the fantastic four that Ryan Sidebottom wasn't missed, although he will certainly return to the fold if/when a Yorkshire seamer receives a national call-up.

Well, barring an unlikely victory for Sussex against Durham, then Yorkshire will sit proudly atop Division One. The squad has immense strength in depth, boasting a tremendous batting line-up. If the weather remains kind, then Yorkshire will be on the short list of likely candidates to win the County Championship.

YORKSHIRE versus Warwickshire; at Headingley; May 11-13; Warwickshire won the toss.

YORKSHIRE first innings: 444 (Plunkett 86, Williamson 75, Root 69, Bresnan 61; Woakes 4-68, Barker 3-82)

Warwickshire first innings: 200 (Bell 97; Brooks 3-39)

Warwickshire second innings: 89 (Brooks 4-37)

YORKSHIRE won by an innings and 155 runs. YORKSHIRE 23 points, Warwickshire 3 points.

Below is an analysis of the efforts of each player in the successful home team.

Lyth - He set the tone by sharing a useful opening partnership of ninety one and also took two catches. It's good to see that Adam has so far avoided early dismissals.

Root - The golden one fully justified his inclusion with a decent knock of 69. No doubt he will be gracing the test arena this summer.

Williamson - Our overseas pro weighed in with another fine effort, but he will be disappointed at another failure to reach three figures.

Gale - He lost the toss and failed with the bat, but such details have been whitewashed by the successes of his teammates, so all is forgiven.

Ballance - Normally he is at the core of a large total, but he uncharacteristically missed out this time, but he did take a couple of catches.

Bairstow - He was part of an unexpected mid-order collapse, but he will prove to be an asset this summer if England understandably overlook him.

Rashid - He failed to arrest our mid-order crumble, but he bowled well in the first innings, taking one for forty two from sixteen tidy overs.

Bresnan - The big man produced a good innings, took two catches, and bowled very economically. This was one of his best-ever performances for his county.

Plunkett - Liam delivered his best-ever showing for his adopted county. His innings was swashbuckling and his bowling was lethal, taking four wickets for only 46 runs.

Patterson - He contributed to a game-changing ninth wicket stand of 106 and then he took four wickets at a mere cost of fifty-four runs. His input was immense.

Brooks - Jack stole the show with the largest haul of wickets. His strike rate is impressive and may have caught the attention of the national selectors.