Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Matthew Revis, one of three fifty-makers on day one.
Adam Lyth believes first-innings runs will prove telling in the outcome of Yorkshire’s ongoing Rothesay County Championship clash with Essex at Headingley.
Opener Lyth top-scored for Yorkshire with 62 on day one in 241-6 from 70 overs, with Matthew Revis contributing 61 and Lyth’s opening partner Will Luxton 50.
This match is being played on the same pitch used for the England versus Pakistan Test Match recently, and it is expected to become increasingly spin-friendly.
Essex leg-spinner Matt Critchley gave an indicated of its nature with two wickets today as Yorkshire fell from 121-0 to 139-5 during the afternoon before Revis and George Hill shared a sixth-wicket 94 either side of the tea break.
Lyth said: “I think you saw today that Critch was spinning the ball, so I can’t see it not turning more as the game goes on.
“Obviously we’ve got two very good spinners, and I could be requited to bowl some overs. So I think it will turn more and more as the game goes on.
“First-innings runs are going to be quite crucial, so hopefully Bessy and Hilly can put a nice partnership together and the rest of the lower order chip in.”
Both sides will be relatively satisfied with their day’s work today, with Lyth reflecting: “It was a nice partnership with myself and Will.
“I thought this morning was quite tricky when they got the ball in the right area. It did seam quite a bit, but maybe they didn’t get their line and length right. I think they might have been struggling with the run-ups and things like that.
“We played nicely, and as the ball got a bit older it got a bit easier out there.
“Obviously we lost 5-18, which isn’t ideal. But the way Hilly and Rev rebuilt with that solid partnership at the end, it’s still a decent day for us.
“It would have been nice to have lost a couple of wickets fewer there, but obviously bang, bang, bang, bang and the momentum sort of changed. But the way those two played was fantastic.”
