Yorkshire, part of Group 3 in the County Championship 2021, will play their first game against Glamorgan on April 8 – here’s the preview and list of fixtures.

County Championship 2021: Yorkshire preview

Captain

Steven Patterson

Last year

1/6 North Group

Player movements

In: Dom Bess (Somerset), Lockie Ferguson (NZ, T20)

Out: Ed Barnes (Leics), Jared Warner (Gloucs), James Logan (released)

Key Player

Dawid Malan – the 33-year-old made an instant impression following his arrival from Middlesex, hitting a career-best 219 against Derbyshire and topping the BWT averages (min 300 runs). Malan hasn’t given up hope of a Test recall yet – especially with a hundred on the last Ashes tour in his back-pocket – and that could well play to Yorkshire’s advantage.

Bolter

Jordan Thompson – the homegrown all-rounder has had to bide his time for first-team opportunities but he was one of several youngsters to feel the benefit of an unusual 2020, averaging 47 with the bat and 16 with the ball to prove that he belongs at this level. A Type One diabetic, Thompson carries the Diabetes UK logo on his bat to raise awareness of the condition.

County Championship 2021: Yorkshire fixtures

Yorkshire v Glamorgan, Emerald Headingley, Thursday, April 8
Kent v Yorkshire, Canterbury, Thursday, April 15
Sussex v Yorkshire, The 1st Central County Ground, Thursday, April 22
Yorkshire v Northamptonshire, Emerald Headingley, Thursday, April 29
Yorkshire v Kent, Emerald Headingley, Thursday, May 6
Glamorgan v Yorkshire, Sophia Gardens, Thursday, May 13
Lancashire v Yorkshire, Emirates Old Trafford, Thursday, May 27
Yorkshire v Sussex, Emerald Headingley, Thursday, June 3
Northamptonshire v Yorkshire, The County Ground, Sunday, July 4
Yorkshire v Lancashire, Scarborough, Sunday, July 11

You can check the full list of County Championship fixtures here.

Wisden says

Yorkshire went unbeaten last summer but were the unfortunate table-toppers to miss out on qualification for the BWT final. Still, the season provided plenty of room for optimism and if Gary Ballance, who missed the whole of last summer due to anxiety and stress, can hit the ground running, they have the personnel to launch a genuine title bid. Ben Coad (12 wickets at 7.25 last summer) remains broadly unhittable, with Steven Patterson, Duanne Olivier and Matthew Fisher offering no let-up.

With Dom Bess giving them the quality spin option they’ve been lacking, they have all bases covered.

Prediction

Champions

This preview first appeared in issue 42 of Wisden Cricket Monthly.