PROFILE

Gritty when required, dashing when the mood takes him, Anthony has been the man for most occasions in all forms of the game with the bat during his 17-year Yorkshire career. 

‘Frustration’ was a word Anthony could have been forgiven for using in 2011. His season had started with a right knee injury, then his left knee became a problem and sciatica blighted his ability to move freely at the crease. The upshot was that he missed pre-season and endured a summer that was not representative of a batsman who had earned his stripes as a consistent run machine in the middle order for his native county. 

485 first-class runs at 21.08 included a highlight of 115 at The Rose Bowl, but only one other fifty constituted a disappointing return. 63 was Anthony’s highest score amongst only 76 runs in the CB40 and 92 runs in the FPt20 was a poor return for a man that has enjoyed great success in the shortest form in recent seasons. All-in-all Anthony will be desperate to bully Division Two Championship attacks into submission in 2012 and some bowlers may well be made to suffer for the frustration Mags has endured in 2011.

Anthony had bounced back in 2010 with 1,219 first-class runs at 43.53, passing the magical thousand runs mark for the third time in his career. His unbeaten 124 against Durham in mid-August was key to Championship victory at Chester-le-Street and a 4th wicket partnership of 166 with Andrew Gale, where McGrath scored 135, was the difference between Yorkshire and Essex at Scarborough. Add 414 runs at 51.75 in the CB40 and 251 runs at 41.83 in the FPt20 and 2010 was an excellent McGrath season.

The cares of captaincy and a downturn in batting form had made 2009 a difficult season for Anthony but he carried out his duties uncomplainingly and never tried to pass the buck for his team’s inconsistencies. When he decided to hand over the captaincy to Andrew Gale in 2010 he gained much admiration for the diplomatic way he handled the situation and for the immediate support he promised his successor. 

Under Anthony's leadership in 2009 Yorkshire avoided relegation with some spirited late summer displays and it was not all toil and struggle - a purple patch early in the summer brought him 466 runs in five consecutive Championship innings, including a breathtaking career-best 211 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

In 2003 Anthony was appointed for his first stint as Yorkshire captain. Soon after he was picked for England and scored consecutive fifties against Zimbabwe and took three wickets in his first six overs. He played four Tests and 14 One-Day Internationals before losing his place in 2004. A Test average of 40.20 with bat and 14.00 may suggest he was hard-done-to and he was a better player after experiencing international cricket. England’s loss was Yorkshire’s gain.

Anthony was the Club's beneficiary in 2009.

JAMES BUTTLER 
January 2012