Yorkshire target CLt20 big guns

By Graham Hardcastle, in South Africa

Yorkshire believe success in the Champions League t20 competition proper would be to gain the scalp of one of the big boys. Unlikely to win the tournament, they are aiming to turn the tables on either Mumbai Indians or Chennai Super Kings in particular.

A win over the Sydney Sixers in their opening Group B match at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday October 16 (12.30pm UK) would also be celebrated with gusto as the Australians have Mitchell Starc spearheading their attack.

Starc was Yorkshire's overseas player during the 2012 summer, and finished with a competition high of 21 wickets in the Friends Life t20. The White Rose county also face South Africans Highveld Lions in the third of their four group matches.

Yorkshire have progressed through to the main draw with exhilarating wins over UVA Next and Trinidad and Tobago, the finalists in 2009.

Captain Andrew Gale said: "I guess from qualifying, you go in thinking that you've got absolutely nothing to lose. I believe we can turn over some of the big teams.

"We're looking forward to the rollercoaster that's in front of us really. We've got two weeks of playing against guys that we watch on the TV, and we'll just go in with a no fear attitude and see where it takes us.

"I'm sure the guys will look forward to playing against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar. Even if we lose every single game, we've still achieved something very special."

Although their opponents have been playing warm-up matches in Johannesburg and Centurion for the last three or four days, there is a school of thought that suggests Yorkshire will have an advantage over their rivals having played two competitive matches already.

"In an ideal world we would have wanted to go straight into the competition, but I thought that whoever goes through has played two games and would go through full of confidence and momentum," added Gale.

"Throughout this competition there will be some big international stars, but what we've got in our dressing room is good team spirit and some exciting players who have done exceptionally well in our domestic competition.

"To take it on to this stage just shows how much talent we have. Some of these teams have been thrown together with big money, but we've been playing together all season. We don't fear anyone. We can go into it with our heads held high and see where it takes us."

Yorkshire fly to Cape Town on Saturday after taking part in the competition's opening ceremony at the Wanderers in Johannesburg tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, overseas batsman David Miller, the victim of a fractured nose during the first qualifying win over UVA on Tuesday, is expected to re-join the squad for their final group match against Chennai in Durban on October 22 (12.30pm UK time).

Miller is currently on duty with the Sunfoil Dolphins in South Africa's domestic four-day competition.





Date: 11/10/2012 14:33:10 by Graham Hardcastle
In: Yorkshire | Today |