The Royal London Cup which is to be downgraded by the ECB next year to something akin to an egg cup was blessed with sunshine on its opening day yesterday. Nowhere was this more so than at Headingley where an excellent crowd saw Yorkshire make a flying start with an easy victory over Leicestershire. Things did not start too well however with Lyth dismissed after three balls and when Willey and Kohler-Cadmore joined him in the pavilion not much later, the board read 17 for 3 and The Foxes decision to field looked a goodun'. 209 runs later skipper Horton was probably thinking otherwise as Gary Ballance and Harry Brook reduced the visitors to a rather demoralised looking outfit.
After Brook went for 103, Ballance and Tattersall, the latter scoring at two runs a ball, added a further century partnership and although a further four wickets did fall most were to adventurous shots against poor bowling and 379 equalled Yorkshire's best List A total, a record that may stand for ever given that next year's competition is hardly likely to be ranked above C+. Runs had also flowed elsewhere for in all but one of the other five matches being played 300 was surpassed in the first innings.
Mr Whippy having enjoyed brisk trade play resumed at 3:15 and Leicestershire began as badly as Yorkshire with Dearden lasting only one more delivery than Lyth and although Horton, Lilley and Cosgrove each added runs to take the score to 86 for 2, the third of these having replicated a prop forward's try when making his ground at the new pavilion end as well as dealing forcefully with some short stuff from Patterson, the run rate was increasing. Two of Yorkshire's more recent signings, Pillans and Poysden, were introduced into the attack and it was leg spinner Poysden who made the breakthrough when he had Cosgrove lbw with his first ball. This led to a steady fall of wickets, all of them to these two relative unknowns. At 5:15 it was all over with a victory margin of 213 runs and a fifer for the pacey looking Pillans and two for Poysden.
Yorkshire will encounter much better sides than Leicestershire, starting with Warwickshire at Edgbaston tomorrow, but a side than can afford to have Coad and Olivier carrying the drinks can face the qualifying period with confidence. With the fine weather set to continue and Lancashire the visitors a bumper crowd can be expected on Sunday.
Saturday is the third Saturday in April and for most leagues the traditional opening day. I am minded to go to Sessay where I began last season's league cricket watching. Woodhouse Grange are the visitors and I am hoping to pitch my deck chair for the noon start.
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