Gale still coming to terms with loss (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Gale still coming to terms with loss

1:54pm Monday 6th July 2009 in

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Andrew Gale admits that County Championship defeat against Somerset last week crossed his mind early on the final day – but only briefly.

“I did think at lunch that we may have a problem if we didn’t get (Marcus) Trescothick out,” said Yorkshire left-hander Gale, who is still trying to come to terms with the fact that the hosts successfully chased down 476 on the final day at Taunton.

“They got off to a very good start but we thought the worst that could happen would be a draw.

“It could have gone the other way. Had we got Peter Trego out for seven down, we would have fancied our chances of winning because they had a pretty long tail.”

All-rounder Trego walloped a quick-fire century to push the hosts over the line, making Anthony McGrath’s declaration look an attacking one.

“It was particularly upsetting because we had played all the cricket,” recalled Gale.

“We left them 476, which we thought would be more than enough. I hope I never experience anything like that again.”

Gale and his colleagues will return to Headingley on Wednesday to begin preparations for the County Championship match at home to LV Division One leaders Durham on Friday.

Yorkshire have now lost to Somerset twice in their last four four-day matches and are slipping down the table.

Gale said: “Relegation is something that’s in the back of our minds. We are looking at the table, and we are down there, but there’s a long way to go yet.

“Durham is going to be a tough game for us but we should have the likes of Brez (Tim Bresnan), Rash (Adil Rashid), Rana (Naved-ul-Hasan) and Deon (Kruis) back to strengthen the side.

“It would give us a lot of confidence if we can win that game.”

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Gale has warned England against playing two spinners in the first Ashes Test at Cardiff, which starts on Wednesday.

He said: “The Aussies are no mugs against spin. They won a series in India about four years ago, so they obviously know how to play it.

“We have got a better pace attack than them and that, for me, would be the best way to go. When we won in 2005, it was all about pace and reverse swing.”

Gale has played at Sophia Gardens twice in his career, once for the county’s second team and once for the senior side in a Pro40 game two years ago.

He said: “It did turn a bit when I played there but the Australians didn’t look that comfortable against short bowling last week at Worcester. I think we should be going at them that way.”