Jonny Tattersall was clearly delighted with his own contribution, a magnificent 126 helping to put Yorkshire in a fabulous position at the halfway stage of their Vitality County Championship clash with Leicestershire at Grace Road. But Yorkshire’s captain was keen to deflect praise onto others batters as well.
Tattersall has been outstanding at the Uptonsteel County Ground to help Yorkshire in a position of serious strength.
In reply to Leicestershire’s first-innings 98, Yorkshire today completed a 379 first innings before reducing the Foxes to 35-2 second time around.
Matthew Fisher contributed a career best 88 – and took the two Leicestershire wickets in their second innings.
Fisher and Tattersall this morning completed a ninth-wicket partnership of 138, with Tattersall starting the day on 90 and Fisher 28.
It was Tattersall’s third Championship hundred and, despite the highest of them being an unbeaten 180 against Surrey at Scarborough in July 2022, this was clearly the best given the conditions and the promotion picture.
Tattersall said: “It was an enjoyable one.
“It’s always nice to get three figures on the board for yourself, but team runs is the most important thing.
“We knew it was hard (to bat) out there. We saw in our innings, first up with the ball, it was difficult. It seamed around but settled down a little bit when the ball got 25 overs old.
“I sort of cashed in there when the ball wasn’t doing as much, even though it was still doing a bit throughout.
“Credit to the lads up top for finding the best way to get the team into a position where we could go on and win this match.
“I don’t think we expected to get that many runs on the board, but full credit to everyone who came in. They all had a plan as to how they wanted to go about it, and we have a great total on the board and are in a really good position in this game.”
Tattersall’s Surrey century in 2022 and his second, against Derbyshire at Chesterfield earlier this summer, both came when Yorkshire really needed his runs.
But, in his options, do rearguard actions bring out the best in him?
“I give my all no matter what situation I’m in,” he continued.
“It probably just suits my game. I’ve always been that more of a defensive player who’s looked to soak up the pressure, but I’ve worked hard on things over the winter to utilise my strengths and get into a position where I can score. I thought I did that quite well, moving around the crease.
“It was difficult with it seaming around, but I just tried to get bowlers off their lengths and lines rather than just sitting in.
“Everyone who came in did that and was proactive, and it worked really well. We got them on the back foot.
“I’m just really pleased to get the batting points we got. I don’t think we’d have thought we’d get as many as we did. We’ve got ourselves into a great position, we just have to finish the job.”
He went on: “Fish played magnificently well. We got a good partnership together, and it was difficult to break. We didn’t do anything silly and didn’t have to manufacture shots. We just got the overs into the bowlers’ legs.
“Dom Bess as well with his 33.
“He’s been playing brilliantly throughout the 50-over competition, and he justified exactly why he’s been picked in the team. That might not necessarily have been for his bowling this week, but he might still have a part to play second innings.
“As I say, everybody’s been really good.”
And on the situation in the game, Tattersall added: “The pitch is a lot better than it was on that first morning, and the heavy roller’s been used.
“It might be tough going at times, but if we keep putting the ball in the right areas, there’s plenty of grass on the wicket.
“It will offer throughout the game, especially with the overcast conditions and the lights being on.”
