No going back for Moxon

Martyn Moxon is keen to make full use of the Academy system at Headingley © Getty Images

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Such is Yorkshire’s illustrious history that looking back is a popular pastime for many associated with the White Rose.

Conversations at Headingley are littered with references to former glories and legendary players, more often than not accompanied by a none-too-flattering remark about the present squad.

The size of Yorkshire’s trophy cabinet is such that one can hardly blame supporters for their dewy-eyed reminiscences, but Martyn Moxon’s sights are set firmly on the future as he prepares for his first season as Yorkshire’s director of cricket.

“Expectations are high,” he told ecb.co.uk. “Yorkshire are one of the biggest clubs in the country so people expect Yorkshire to do well - and quite rightly so.

“We should be challenging for trophies. Hopefully that will be this year, but my goal in the long term is to create a squad which is going to be competitive in all competitions for the foreseeable future.

“That's the challenge we’ve got - to win now but at the same time develop for the future.”

All-rounder Adil Rashid heads the list of talented youngsters at Yorkshire © Getty Images

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The weight of history - Yorkshire have won 30 County Championships, comfortably more than any other county - has been borne by many of Moxon’s predecessors, but there is nothing in his words or body language to suggest he is unduly concerned by the past as he outlines his plans for 2007 and beyond.

In one nod to recent history, however, Moxon revealed he will employ the blueprint that proved so successful at Durham, whom he transformed from the whipping boys of county cricket to a credible First Division side before being lured back to Headingley in March.

“My general philosophy is to try and bring our own young players through into first-team cricket,” said Moxon, in typically measured tones.

“I've always said ‘what’s the point of having an Academy if you’re not going to use the players?’, and that is what Yorkshire want and what Durham wanted.

“The balance you’ve got to get is trying to win games as well - that was why we had difficult years at Durham.

“We had two or three very difficult years when the young players were introduced and didn't have a lot of experienced players around them, and it proved difficult.

“What we’ve got to try and do here is get that balance of youth and experience, hopefully win some matches and sort out which of the junior players we want to build the side around for the foreseeable future.

Darren Gough, in action during the early stages of his career, is among the Academy alumni

“That's the delicate balance - of winning in the short term but producing for the long term.”

The presence of Darren Gough, Anthony McGrath, Michael Vaughan, Matthew Hoggard, Craig White, Jason Gillespie and Deon Kruis in the Yorkshire squad suggests Moxon will lean more towards experience during his first season at the helm.

However, Adil Rashid, who has gone from second XI player to England A regular in less than 12 months, is the embodiment of a Yorkshire youth system that has continued to flourish over the years regardless of the first XI’s fluctuating fortunes.

“Adil is obviously a very talented young player and we’ve got high hopes for him here,” said Moxon.

“But there are other good young players on the staff now who will be challenging for first-team places,” he added, the likes of England Under-19 wicket-keeper Greg Wood and 18-year-old pace bowler James Lee no doubt at the forefront of his thoughts.

“Then there is Tim Bresnan, Anthony McGrath, Matthew Wood, Craig White, Darren Gough - there are lots of examples of people coming through the system and playing in the first team.”

Even if Yorkshire fail to win a trophy in Moxon’s first year in charge, the emergence of another player who can be added to this list will serve as some compensation to a notoriously demanding membership.