SPECIAL pt. 1 of 2 - 'Born and bred' - The Benefits and Dangers of Regional Recruitment

In 1968, Yorkshire County Cricket Club were untouchable. No other team in the country could compete with their ethos, their production line of England greats, or their roll of honour. Seven league titles in the previous decade had confirmed their position as titans of the county game. Yet the next two decades would yield the most barren spell in the team's history. As other counties welcomed an array of global talent, Yorkshire held true to the belief that they shouldn't select any player born outside of the county's borders.In this, the first of a two-part special, Nathan and Chris begin to explore the benefits and drawbacks of a 'Cantera' recruitment policy - an approach to player selection that emphasizes the cultivation of local talent at the expense of welcoming players from further afield. As the world got ever more globalised, Yorkshire CCC (between 1968-92) and Athletic Bilbao stood as anachronisms; teams which turned away from attempts to recruit the best the planet could offer in favour of selecting those from within the region they represent. In doing so, these two proud clubs bring into focus the fine line between local pride and insularity. Athletic Bilbao will be the focus of the second episode but, for now, we hope you enjoy an edition that includes some of the greatest names to have ever played the sport of cricket; from Rhodes to Vaughan, from Trueman to Root. It charts the highs and lows of a county that still stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of the number of County Championship triumphs, but faced existential crisis during the racism scandal that engulfed the game in recent years. It is a story of Yorkshire Cricket, warts and all.