Tim Bresnan believes there is no better way to kick off the 2017 Royal London One-Day Cup campaign than by facing Roses rivals Lancashire.
The 32-year-old and his Yorkshire team-mates kick off their home campaign by welcoming Lancashire to Headingley on Bank Holiday Monday, keen to replicate last season’s semi-final display.
They’ll do so with the assistance of Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Adil Rashid – released by England to play in the fixture as part of a hectic schedule.
But Lancashire will boast their own trump card in Jimmy Anderson, set to play his first match in the format since the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
And for Bresnan, the presence of a plethora of England players – as well as the rivalry involved – means the occasion simply cannot be matched when Lancashire cross the Pennines – so long as the weather plays ball in Leeds.
“If the sun is out then this is going to be a really big game, whether you play Lancashire at home or away you can bank on it being packed to the rafters,” he said at the launch of the Royal London One-Day Cup.
“It’s going to be a fantastic occasion and no better way to start off the competition, both teams will be at full strength and it should make for an excellent contest.
“Games like that can go a long way to determining how your season goes and it will be a great way to see how we shape up.
“To have the England boys is massive and hopefully it can allow us to compete a lot better than we have in previous years.”
Yorkshire reached the semi-finals in last season’s competition, while Lancashire were left languishing at the bottom of the table despite defeating the Warwickshire Bears in their season opener.
The change in schedule means the tournament will be played earlier this term, with the Red Rose therefore looking to make the most of Anderson’s contribution.
Bresnan also took the time to praise his fellow international’s impact on both county and country, still charging in at 34 years of age – despite battling past injury niggles at different stages of his career.
“What Jimmy has done has been nothing short of amazing, the way he has managed to stay fit despite his injury niggles to keep going is a great testament to the way he manages himself,” he added.
“The work he puts in behind the scenes is superb – and he’s still a man who is getting better.
“That’s something that happens a lot with skill bowlers, even if your pace goes down, and he’s still one of the best in the country if not the best.
“It’s massive for Lancashire to have him, on the field as well as off it in terms of what he is saying to the younger players and the way they can watch him go about his business and learn from him.”
As proud sponsors of the One Day Cup, Royal London is giving away match tickets to see the action live. Visit royallondoncricket.com to enter.
