Whether fans see it as endearing antiquity of the game, or merely an obstacle towards the diversity that English cricket now celebrates, Yorkshire CCC’s defunct in-house rule of employing only players born in the county itself remains a curio of cricketing culture.
Remarkably, the rule stood in place for 24 years, between 1968 and 1992, and is famous for backfiring spectacularly. A once-respected giant of county cricket fell by the wayside in the 1970s and 80s, as other significant clubs diversified and signed overseas talent. The lifting of that restriction – initially to the effect of merely including those educated in Yorkshire – heralded the start of a decade-long road to redemption, and five moments therein stand out as significant.
Tendulkar proves his worth – August 1992:
Sachin Tendulkar scored only two centuries for Yorkshire across 16 appearances, and in the true style of the legend he would become, the 19-year-old picked a match against sworn enemies Lancashire to deliver his first.
While Yorkshire would go on to lose, it was a new chapter in English cricket’s long history. Tendulkar built on that momentum in the very next series, taking 100 runs against Durham from just 96 balls, taking his County Championship tally past the 1,000-run mark.
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Byas at the peak of his game – September 1995
In 1995, true Yorkshireman David Byas became the first player to hit 1,000 Championship runs that year, and performances such as this one against Essex proved pivotal in finally getting him the captaincy the following season:
If there is one man with the authority to speak about how Yorkshire changed over his 16-year stint with the club, it is David Byas. He wore the white rose with pride between 1985 and 2001, with the relaxation of the ‘Yorkshire birth’ rule coming at the halfway point of his time there.
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Gough and Whitefly the flag – February 1996
These days, England fans look to the World Cup-winning likes of Yorkshire players Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root for inspiration. They are key to ensuring that England can maintain (or shorten) their odds of just 3/1 to retain the World Cup in 2023, as found within the latest cricket betting news and odds.
Back in the 1996 World Cup, it was down to Craig White and Darren Gough to represent Yorkshire.
While England got nowhere near the final, that duo played in a very challenging climate. England won two group games before their elimination against eventual winners Sri Lanka.
Vaughan comes of age – June/July 1996
Having been born outside Yorkshire, but educated in Sheffield from the age of nine, Michael Vaughan is one of the most famous beneficiaries of Yorkshire’s 1992 ‘revolution’. He flourished under David Byas’s captaincy in 1996. This ‘60’, in a comeback after a lost first inning against Worcestershire, is a personal highlight from that year.
Vaughan would stay at the club until 2009, after 16 years of distinguished service.
White and Wood white-wash – August 2001
After a 33-year wait, Yorkshire claimed their 32nd County Championship. After several years of drought, Yorkshire also claimed one of their most emphatic ‘Roses Derby’ wins of modern times, winning by an innings and 37 runs:
As shown above, Craig White – who formed an axis with fellow century-scorer Matthew Wood – destroyed Lancashire to etch their names into Yorkshire lore.
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