LONDON, April 17: A veteran batsman just back from one of the shortest retirements on record will steal the limelight ahead of a host of international overseas players when the English County Cricket Championship gets underway Friday.
David Byas, who led Yorkshire to their first title for 33 years last summer, has been accused of all but treachery and treason following his shock decision over the winter to link up with arch-rivals Lancashire. The 38-year-old, warned by Yorkshire that he was to lose the captaincy after six years, announced he was quitting the game at the end of last season to return to his farm.
Yet within weeks he stunned the Tykes by accepting a one-year contract after being approached by Lancashire.
Yorkshire and England paceman Darren Gough, who had a difficult relationship with his former captain, said it was a “snub” to the champions.
“You don’t win the championship one season, retire, and then join your arch-rivals a few months after hanging up your boots,” he said.
Former Yorkshire captain Brian Close underlined the general dismay within the county by admitting: “I’m shocked as I’m sure everyone in Yorkshire will be. The whole game has gone upside down.”
Byas, who had been at Yorkshire since 1986, will fill the void left by Lancashire’s own hero-turned-villain John Crawley, who lost a legal challenge during the winter to secure his release — citing constructive dismissal after losing the captaincy at the end of last season — before buying out his contract to join newly promoted Hampshire.
Wicket-keeper Warren Hegg takes over the captaincy from Crawley, who scored over 15,000 runs in 11 seasons with the county.
Lancashire open the new campaign against Leicestershire at Old Trafford, with Hampshire away to Kent.
Once again Australian batsmen provide the bulk of the overseas players contracted for 2002.
Darren Lehmann will captain Yorkshire, Michael Hussey is back at Northamptonshire where he plundered 2,055 first-class runs last season, with Michael di Venuto, Martin Love and Ian Harvey returning to Derbyshire, Durham and Gloucestershire.
Stuart Law has left Essex for Lancashire, the prolific scoring Michael Bevan is newly installed at Leicestershire, with Andy Symonds and Jamie Cox again in residence at Kent and Somerset.
Worcestershire and Glamorgan have bucked the trend by signing up pacemen Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz, while Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq will be on parade for Middlesex.
Zimbabwe’s wicket-keeper/batsman Andy Flower, one of Wisden’s Five cricketers of the year, has signed up for his debut season in county cricket with Essex.
But Warwickshire have been forced to compromise over Shaun Pollock’s return to Edgbaston by agreeing with the United Cricket Board to limit the number of games the pace bowling all-rounder plays ahead of next year’s World Cup. Pollock suffered a side strain in February.
Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, have signed South African all-rounder Nicky Boje to replace New Zealand’s injured all-rounder Chris Cairns.—Reuters