Gale backing Yorkshire to continue good form

9:52am Tuesday 29th April 2008

ANDREW Gale is backing Yorkshire to win out in yet another mouth-watering battle of the bowlers when Nottinghamshire visit Headingley Carnegie for tomorrows County Championship clash.

The Tykes are on a high after a superb weekend that included a four-day win over Hampshire and a Friends Provident Trophy win over Derbyshire. But they will have to be at their best against England pace duo Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad to continue their good run.

Left-handed batsman Gale, who notched a fine 138 in the LV Division One opener against Hampshire, has no doubts that will happen: I think theyve got a number of good bowlers, he said. Ryan Sidebottoms had an excellent winter.

Theyve got the likes of Charlie Shreck and Stuart Broad, backed up with the experience of Mark Ealham and Graham Swanns spin. But Id say weve got Hoggard, Gough, Kruis, Rashid and Morkel now, so Ill back our attack over theirs any day.

The fixture has the hallmarks of a Test match. That has been further demonstrated by the arrival of South African allrounder Morne Morkel, who will join up with the squad today.

Morkel arrived in England on Sunday after South Africas drawn Test series in India. He played all three Test matches, taking eight wickets, with a best of 3/63, and hitting 53 runs, with a best of 35.

As for Gale, he has set his eyes on nailing down a place in that four-day side.

The 24 year-old has predominantly starred in the one-day arena in recent times for the White Rose C but only his second career first-class ton last week has dramatically boosted his confidence.

The man they call G-Unit continued: I have always wanted to get in the Championship side, and trying to cement that No.5 spot is without doubt my number one priority.

My innings against Hampshire gave me a lot of confidence.

I was looking down Hampshires team the night before, and it was always going to be difficult with the likes of Chris Tremlett and Shane Bond in there.

But I managed to hang in on what was a typical early season Headingley pitch.

If we can go out there and get ourselves in, Im sure well be able to post a really good score again, which will put us in a strong position. Personally, it will be another great chance to test myself.

It will also be the perfect opportunity for England skipper Michael Vaughan to build confidence ahead of next months first Test against New Zealand at Lords.

Vaughan failed with the bat again on Sunday, scoring just 16 against Derbyshire. But Gale added: I have no doubts that he will come good. There is nothing to worry about.

ö Andrew Gale is involved with the Pro Cricket Coaching Academy, who are running coaching schools across Yorkshire for children aged 6-16. For more information visit www.procricketcoachingacademy.

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