T20 Blast bite-size preview: Yorkshire Vikings

Cricket365
May 14, 2014

Yorkshire were at the helm of the County Championship Division One, at the time of writing, with this confident start sure to play a role in the T20 Blast. The retirement of the seasoned Joe Sayers, though, might have an adverse effect.

Brief Overview: Yorkshire were at the helm of the County Championship Division One, at the time of writing, with this confident start sure to play a role in the T20 Blast. The retirement of the seasoned Joe Sayers, though, might have an adverse effect.

Venue: Headingley is a ground with almost unrivalled tradition and history, but it was in need of significant redevelopment for some time. Late last decade, the venue finally got the makeover it deserved. New transport links – and innovative ticket pricing structures – will bring bigger crowds, too.

Batsman To Watch: The forgotten man of English cricket, the talented Adil Rashid is a genuine livewire in the middle order – capable of turning the strike or launching for the fences on the circumstances' cue.

Bowler To Watch: All-rounder Liam Plunkett has gathered a solid stretch of form in the County Championship – and opportunity will knock for a quick, fluid switch to a considerably shorter format.

Overseas Signings: Australian Aaron Finch is a veritable juggernaut in Twenty20 cricket – and will be brimming with confidence on the back of a reasonably successful Indian Premier League campaign. New Zealander Kane Williamson, too, has a place in the limited-overs game.

Know Your Mascot: "Vinny the Viking, a true Yorkshire Warrior, was frozen in time 1,500 years ago in the lands of the icy North, where the Vikings ruled," according to the club's official website – and looks like a Lego man.

Cricket365's Prediction: Third in North Division.