Jonny Bairstow and Will Luxton posted contrasting half-centuries to help Yorkshire strengthen their grip on the Vitality County Championship promotion battle with pacesetters Sussex on day two at Scarborough.
Jordan Thompson struck in the day’s second over to wrap up Sussex’s first innings for 189 after they had started on 187-9, claiming his third wicket in the process before contributing 44 not out with four sixes to Yorkshire’s 326 all out reply.
The hosts advanced their reply in confident fashion, with England’s Bairstow contributing an entertaining 57 through the afternoon as he shared 90 with Luxton for the fourth wicket.
The latter went on to post a more watchful 59 – his career best score in his fourth match – before Sussex, for whom off-spinner Jack Carson claimed an impressive 5-83, closed the day on 26-0 from 10 overs.
This was an impressive display of batting from Yorkshire on far from the easiest pitch, though their cause was helped by the fact the sun shone brightly all day – even if there was a bracing wind present.
Given this was Luxton’s first career fifty in first-class cricket, he should take the majority of the credit following eight fours in 130 balls.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jonny Bairstow pulls Sean Hunt for six.
The 21-year-old continued an impressive summer which earlier this month saw him hit a maiden first-team century – 105 not out – in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup win over Warwickshire at Rugby School.
But Bairstow, aged 34, will no doubt take the majority of the headlines nationally having hit seven fours and a six in 72 balls. This was his first first-class fifty since late July last year, and since then he has lost his place in England’s Test team.
Few would bet against him regaining that place, and is closing in on 300 all-format appearances for England in a storied career.
That is no doubt something Luxton will be desperate to emulate.
He has already impressed for the England Under 19s and, earlier this summer, scored a century against the touring West Indian senior team whilst playing for a Counties Select XI in a pre-Test series warm-up match at Beckenham.
Both Luxton and Bairstow drove nicely, the latter pushed his very first ball – the first of the afternoon – down there ground for four off the medium pace of Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Will Luxton en-route to his maiden first-class fifty.
Luxton was 27 when they came together at 104-3 at the start of the afternoon, but he didn’t score in the first 50 minutes of the session.
Bairstow wasn’t without fortune. He was dropped on 38 in the slips and on 51 by England team-mate Ollie Robinson as he ran in from mid-on after the batter had miscued a high chance off left-arm seamer Sean Hunt.
A number of fielders converged to just beside the umpire at the non-striker’s end, and maybe that put Robinson off having called it as his catch.
A couple of balls later, Bairstow pulled Hunt for six into the Popular Bank terracing.
Bairstow and Luxton had come together after Yorkshire lost three morning wickets, and an early act saw Sussex believe they had Bairstow caught behind on four off Robinson.
Both men exchanged words, and it seemed to fire Bairstow up.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Ollie Robinson thought he had Jonny Bairstow caught behind on four.
First thing this morning at North Marine Road, there had been some doubt as to whether play would start on time due to a gale-force wind.
The ground-staff delayed taking the cover off the pitch because of health and safety concerns, while one of the sight-screens at the Peasholm Park End almost blew over on a couple of occasions.
But the win died down, there was no delay, and four wickets fell in the morning.
The first saw Thompson trap Hunt lbw to wrap up the Sussex innings and leave Tom Alsop unbeaten on 86.
Yorkshire then recovered from the loss of two early wickets for Indian left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, leaving the score at 31-2.
He bowled Adam Lyth off a combination of inside-edge and pad for 24 before getting Fin Bean, the other home opener, caught behind.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jordan Thompson enjoyed success with ball and then bat on day two.
James Wharton and Luxton then shared a dashing 73 in 13 overs, the former pulling Hunt’s left-arm seam for six amidst an over which cost him 16.
But Hudson-Prentice limited Wharton’s contribution to 40 when, in the final over of the morning, he had him caught at first slip – 104-3 in the 26th over.
Later, Bairstow’s dismissal sparked a Sussex fightback inspired by the impressive off-spinner Carson, who first trapped the England man lbw as he played back to one which was borderline outside the line of off-stump.
At that stage, Yorkshire were 194-4 before tea.
Carson went on to bowl Luxton in the early stages of the evening and trapped Jonny Tattersall lbw.
When George Hill miscued to mid-on, the hosts were 248-7 in the 66th over, leading by 59.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Yorkshire chair Colin Graves spoke at a members’ forum before play this morning.
Robinson later had Matthew Revis caught in the slips for 34 and Dan Moriarty caught behind to wrap up Yorkshire’s innings.
Sandwiched in between, Carson bowled a paddling Ben Coad. But Sussex were hurt as Thompson built the Yorkshire lead with some late and lusty hitting.
Bad light at 7pm then meant Sussex faced five overs fewer in their second innings.
