Andrew Hodd believes Yorkshire’s wicketkeeping future is in safe hands.
The recently retired gloveman is backing Jonny Tattersall and Ben Birkhead, who turned 20 yesterday, to continue their encouraging development and push each other hard for first-team cricket.
Tattersall, 23, is in pole position to start 2019 as the senior keeper after an impressive second half of the most recent summer across all forms.
Someone who wasn’t a recognised wicketkeeper prior to the most recent summer, the former England under 19 worked hard in the nets last winter and displaced Hodd in late May, first of all, in the Royal London one-day Cup.
He went on to play seven County Championship matches and the entire Vitality Blast campaign, scoring half-centuries in all three formats.
“Tatts has done really well,” said Hodd.
“His batting has been the thing that I’ve noticed more than anything. He has really shone through with some important runs down the order.
“But he’s also done really well with the gloves and hasn’t put a foot wrong really.
“Yorkshire have got a good player there.
“No one’s born a natural anything. It takes work. He’s only been keeping for a year full-time, and he looks very good.
“Every ball you catch, you get that much better. Another winter, another summer, and he will get better and better.”
Instead of looking elsewhere for Hodd’s replacement on the staff, Andrew Gale and Martyn Moxon are throwing their backing behind Birkhead, who played 35 matches for Yorkshire’s Academy and second team in 2018.
