Unbeaten Jonny Bairstow scored his first Yorkshire century in first-class cricket since May 2016 as the hosts enjoyed an excellent start against Middlesex at Headingley.
Brilliant Bairstow underpinned early success for Yorkshire in this Vitality County Championship promotion battle with 107 not out off 130 balls and was helped along by half-centuries for Adam Lyth and not out George Hill, who made 61 and 58 not out respectively.
This wasn’t quite complete domination on a batting day at sunny Headingley, with impressive visiting leg-spinner Luke Hollman keeping Yorkshire in check with three wickets.
But not far off, and the hosts have the definite advantage after day one of this 11th round Division Two clash.
Yorkshire started the game in third, three points behind second-placed Middlesex in the battle for a place in Division One next season.
There was a concern that a number of Yorkshire batters made starts yet failed to go on to anything defining. Bairstow, however, is on course to do that. Hill could follow him tomorrow. They have shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 130, one of four stands above 50.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jonny Bairstow celebrates his brilliant century against Middlesex today.
Yorkshire got out of the blocks quickly having elected to bat in the brilliant Headingley sunshine, with Lyth and Fin Bean settling quickly against a Middlesex attack who were slow out of the blocks.
Bean took two boundaries off Toby Roland-Jones as the opening over went for nine, while Lyth hit three off Tom Helm’s seam in the 15th over as the score moved to 68-0.
Unfortunately, the partnership was broken without further addition in the next over when Bean was bowled off an under-edge as he tried to pull the seam of Henry Brookes, falling for 27.
Lyth reached his fifty – his seventh of the season, including three hundreds – off 56 balls and he wasn’t particularly drive-dominant in this knock.
He still played the shot nicely, but in the early stages of his innings, it was noticeable how he was quick to latch onto anything short on either side of the wicket.
Lyth was the second wicket to fall when trapped lbw playing back at Hollman, leaving Yorkshire at 105-2 after 26 overs.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Adam Lyth was one of two half-centurions in support of Jonny Bairstow.
During the latter stages of his innings, Lyth was struck on the right wrist by a delivery from England Under 19s quick Noah Cornwell, the left-armer on first-class debut. He was later seen on the outfield at tea sporting some strapping.
Middlesex may have started slowly, but they did grow into their work on what looks a good batting surface. It’s a hybrid pitch used during the early stages of the Hundred.
And while Hollman was hoisted for sixes over mid-wicket by Will Luxton on the sweep and a pulling James Wharton after lunch, they were able to slow Yorkshire’s progress.
What had been all but five runs per over in the early exchanges dropped below fours during the afternoon, despite Wharton and Luxton sharing 67 for the third wicket.
That was clearly helped by Hollman’s success. He had Wharton caught at slip for 40 trying to cut a ball which wasn’t there before, not long afterwards, Luxton pulled a short ball to short mid-wicket, falling for 31 as the score fell to 185 for four in the 52nd.
Thankfully, Bairstow and Jonny Tattersall settled quickly to alleviate any concerns those two quick wickets brought.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Leg-spinner Luke Hollman was the pick of the Middlesex bowlers.
Bairstow dismissively pulled Brookes for six over to the Western Terrace, but he was controlled with his aggression. Tattersall was serene in finding the gaps.
He paddle swept only his second ball to fine-leg for four off Hollman, him and Bairstow bringing up their half-century stand in the final over before tea, where the hosts reached at 240-4 after 64 overs.
But the stand – on 57 – was broken in the opening over of the evening when Tattersall top-edged a sweep against Leus du Plooy’s left-arm and was caught for 26 by slip running around behind the wicketkeeper – 242-5 in the 65th.
Just as Wharton, Luxton and Bairstow had done, Hill also cleared the ropes when he hoisted du Plooy down the ground. By this time, Bairstow was starting look really dangerous.
He fiercely cut Hollman for four in front of square and drilled him over mid-off’s head for another boundary in the same over, the 74th, as the score moved to 283-5.
Middlesex delayed taking the second new ball amidst an excellent sixth-wicket partnership, which proved to be the highest of the day. Hill reached his fifty off 77 balls before Bairstow pulled Roland-Jones for six over mid-wicket and reached his 31st first-class century off 122 balls.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. George Hill batted superbly late in the day.
