Harry Brook is hoping personal progression from scores in the thirties and forties can push Yorkshire towards silverware in the Vitality Blast.
The 19-year-old has made a bright start to life as a T20 player, posting 44, 20, 38 and 33 in four North Group innings from number three.
Brook is hoping to return to the Vikings line-up against Birmingham Bears in front of the TV cameras at Emerald Headingley tomorrow (6.30pm) having missed last Friday’s nail-biting defeat at Lancashire due to England’s returning stars.
But, given Joe Root is unavailable, he looks set to fight it out with Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a place.
Brook, who has been given a license to thrill by the management, said: “I feel I’ve done alright, especially having not expected to be in any of the T20 squads.
“I’ve had quite a lot of starts, but I just need to go on now and get hundreds or close to instead of just thirties and forties. Hopefully that’s not far away.
“I’m coming in at three, so I’m usually in for the last couple of overs of the power play when the field’s up. I like to hit over the top and have been able to do that. That freedom is massive for me.”
Yorkshire’s T20 campaign has reached a crucial stage, with this the first of four games in five days.
The Vikings have won three of their first five North Group games and sit sixth with a game in hand on all teams above them in pursuit of a top four finish and quarter-final qualification.
“There’s a lot of games coming up, so we need to get some momentum and run with it,” said the Burley-in-Wharfedale product.
“Birmingham outplayed us at Edgbaston. The first over killed the game for us (33 off it as they chased 158).
“Ed Pollock struck them well. But that happens.”
Brook has impressed against both white and red balls this summer, his first full campaign in the first team.
His standout score so far was a second-innings 124 in the Championship win over Essex at Chelmsford in May, while he also hit a crucial 55 in the second innings of this week’s three-day Roses success at Emirates Old Trafford.
There will be many supporters, and not just in Yorkshire, delighted to hear the ex-England under 19s captain admit “I still feel like you get more pleasure out of winning a first-class game than a Twenty20”.
He opened the batting and shared a crucial century partnership for the fourth wicket with Jonny Bairstow to help Yorkshire recover from 21-3 in the second innings to set a victory target of 323, which Lancashire never threatened.
“It was an unbelievable win,” said Brook.
“To bowl them out for just over 100 in a session on the first day was remarkable. That day was very strange with the hat-trick and all. It has to be up there with that opening day at Essex when we were bowled out for 50.
“We were in a tough situation having lost three early wickets in the second innings. For me and Jonny to get a big partnership was key.
“It’s massive for me to bat with players like Jonny, Rooty and Kane Williamson.
“They all have their different styles and methods, so I’m learning new things all the time – how to build partnerships and things like that.”