Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. George Hill was on media duties in Southampton this evening.
The final question for George Hill tonight was, ‘What do you think a defendable lead would be?’
“I haven’t actually thought about that,” said the talismanic all-rounder. “But I feel like if we got on a roll with the bowlers we’ve got, I think sort of within reason, we’re pretty confident to go out and defend anything.
“We’d love to see how the first session goes tomorrow and then sort of build from there. But yeah, anything around 200, I reckon.”
That this correspondent changed the match report three times late on in the day from a superb Yorkshire day to an encouraging one to both sides battling for supremacy indicates the topsy-turvy nature of things on day two at the Utilita Bowl.
Hampshire, replying to a first-innings 173, started the day on 60-4 and were bowled out for 197, with Hill completing an excellent 5-29. Adam Lyth also impressed with two wickets and then 51 as Yorkshire responded with 135-5 at close, though they slipped from 123-2 late on, losing two night-watchmen along the way.
Jonny Bairstow, meanwhile, is fine after being struck a couple of blows to the hands. The one to his right was the more painful of the two, said Yorkshire coach Anthony McGrath.
“I think we’d have 100 percent taken that at the start of the day and from yesterday evening when we were 70-6,” continued Hill.
“There’s a huge amount of confidence in the camp, a huge amount of belief.
“Hopefully, we get through that first session tomorrow.”
And on the surface in Southampton, Hill added: “It’s pretty attritional cricket, isn’t it. I think you can’t have much of an ego bowling on a wicket like that. You’re sort of not trying to bowl it too quick with the keeper up.
“You’ve got to try and make them play forward defences every ball.
“There’s a little bit of invariable bounce. With the newer ball, a little bit of nip.
“Lythy with his two-for was brilliant, Coady chipped away brilliantly and deserved more than his two wickets. And it was nice to see Jafer get the first of many first-class wickets.”
