Worcestershire v Yorkshire: Andrew Gale confident of success without '˜famous five'

CALLED AWAY: Jonny Bairstow is one of five Yorkshire players on England duty as the county take on Worcestershire in the Royal London Cup. Picture: SWPix.com

YORKSHIRE first-team coach Andrew Gale is confident that his side can maintain their 100 per cent start to the Royal London Cup despite the absence of their five England players.

Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett and David Willey are unavailable for today’s game away to Worcestershire and Sunday’s match against Derbyshire at Headingley.

Root, Bairstow and Rashid appeared in Yorkshire’s first three games as the club went top of the North Group, while Plunkett and Willey played in the first two.

The quintet are now on England duty for the one-day internationals against Ireland in Bristol today and at Lord’s on Sunday before returning to Yorkshire action for the games at Northants on Wednesday and at Warwickshire on Sunday week.

The five players are then unavailable for the final group match at home to Leicestershire on Tuesday week, which clashes with a pre-Champions Trophy training camp in Spain.

Although Yorkshire’s England contingent have so far made important contributions, not least Bairstow with a career-best 174 in Wednesday’s win over Durham, Gale is adamant that his squad can get by.

“We said from the outset that it’s going to need a real squad effort in this competition,” he said. “The England lads are away for two games now, and it’s about other people standing up and producing a selection headache for myself and Gary (captain Gary Ballance) when they do come back.

“Guys will be given an opportunity, and it’s up to the people who come into the side to try and follow Jonny’s example.

MISSING IN ACTION: Adil Rashid is on England duty as Yorkshire take on Worcestershire. Picture: SWPix.com

“If we can win our next two games, we’ll be in a good position and we’ve got to keep this momentum going and keep the confidence within the dressing room.”

Will Rhodes and Ryan Gibson come into the squad for today’s match at New Road against a Worcestershire side who are second in the group.

Worcestershire won their first two games at home to Notts and away to Leicestershire before tieing their match at Northants on Wednesday.

“They’re a good, workmanlike side,” said Gale. “We’d be naive if we went there and under-estimated them, so I expect us to turn it up a little bit more and be right on the ball come 11 o’clock Friday.