By Graham Hardcastle
Matthew Fisher is hoping to make his first Specsavers County Championship appearance of the season against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford from Sunday.
The fast bowler, 20, is currently playing for the England Lions in their four-day game against India A at Worcester after a summer of predominantly white ball cricket.
His only red ball appearance came for the MCC in the champion county fixture against Essex in Barbados in late March.
Fisher is relishing the opportunity to work on his red ball skills again during the next fortnight, an area of his game which he believes is in good order.
He is unlikely to play in Friday’s Vitality Blast Roses clash at Old Trafford given a busy period of matches, although Yorkshire have all their England players available bar Jonny Bairstow.
He plays in the Championship alongside Joe Root, but Liam Plunkett and David Willey won’t be considered for that on workload grounds.
“To me, it’s really nice to get back to four-day cricket,” he said.
“I’ve bowled a lot with the white ball, and I feel like the red ball’s a strength of mine.
“This Lions game isn’t just a chance to show what I can do, hopefully it’s a good confidence booster ahead of the Roses game if selected.
“These are two games where it’s as close to Test cricket as you can get without playing it in my opinion.
“Lancashire have their Test players and we have ours.
“It’s another test for me to see where I’m at in comparison to international level.
“At the end of last season, I felt like my red ball stuff was progressing well.
“I’ve always felt my skills with the red ball have been really good. I’m patient and, when fit, am able to bowl 15 overs, not go at much more than three an over and pick up wickets.”
