Yorkshire are hopeful Jonny Bairstow will be available to play in next week’s blockbuster Vitality County Championship clash with Sussex at Scarborough.
Wicketkeeper-batter Bairstow indicated his desire to play in the key fixture against the Division Two leaders prior to playing in the Hundred with Welsh Fire, and Ottis Gibson is hoping to confirm his availability in the coming days.
Bairstow’s availability for the fixture, starting on Thursday – one which pits third versus top, would be a huge boost for the county, who are without captain Shan Masood because of Pakistan Test Match duty.
Jonny Tattersall will captain Yorkshire in Masood’s absence for the next two Championship matches, against Sussex and then Middlesex at Headingley.
Coach Gibson said: “I spoke to Jonny Bairstow just before the Hundred started, and his intimation was that he would be available for Scarborough. I will touch base with him in the next couple of days to see if that’s still the case.”
Gibson was speaking before leaving Cardiff last night, where Yorkshire completed their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign with a defeat against Group B winners Glamorgan.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jonny Bairstow could face Sussex at Scarborough – his first county appearance of the season.
He continued: “What Jonny said to me was, ‘Just Scarborough’. He’s taking it one game at a time.
“I think he was struggling with a shoulder niggle, so we’ll see.
“Hopefully he’s still available for that, and then we’ll see after that.
“I spoke to Jonny, and he still has ambitions of getting back into the England team.
“When he was coming back from his injury (broken leg and dislocated ankle) last year, our medical team and coaches, everybody associated with the club, helped him get back into the England fold.
“If it’s that we need to do that again with him, give him some love and get him into a position where he puts good performances in, everybody benefits from that.
Picture by Dan Istitene/Getty Images. Jonny Bairstow has been playing for Welsh Fire in the Hundred.
“Jonny Bairstow is a serious cricketer anyway, but when he has a point to prove he’s even more dangerous.
“Hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
Gibson spoke about further availability for the upcoming Championship matches, confirming that Fin Bean, Ben Coad and James Wharton didn’t play at Cardiff yesterday because of their importance to the Championship cause.
“The decision making was based on giving them some more time to get ready for the Championship,” he said.
“Even though the possibility was there to qualify, it was very remote and I didn’t think it was realistic that we could get into the quarter-finals. So the option was taken to rest Ben Coad, who is a major player for us in the red ball.
“Beany has been struggling in this competition, and he had the opportunity to go into the nets for two hours, hit red balls and get ready for the game next week.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Ottis Gibson erred on the side of caution with selection at Cardiff yesterday, knowing he has bigger fish to fry.
“The same for James Wharton, who has a bit of an ankle injury. He got 180 in his last first-class innings.
“We want to give those guys every opportunity to not only be physically in a good position but also mentally in a good headspace because the next five Championship games are massive for everybody concerned with the club.”
Matthew Fisher is also closing in on a return to action, the fast bowler having not played first-team cricket since early May having suffered an ankle injury whilst fielding during the Championship draw against Derbyshire at Headingley.
He played two second-team T20 matches in early June, but suffered a setback and has been out of action since.
“At the minute, the information I’m getting from the medics is that he won’t be fit for Scarborough,” said Gibson. “He’s hoping to be ready for the game after, which is at Headingley against Middlesex.”
As things stand, no replacement will be sought for overseas fast bowler Vishwa Fernando, the Sri Lankan fast bowler who claimed 17 wickets in three mid-season Championship games, including nine in the last match – the win against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in late June.
Picture by John Heald. Ben Coad celebrates a wicket against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in late June. Wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall will captain in Shan Masood’s absence.
Fernando is currently with the Sri Lanka squad, who are preparing for a Test series in England, starting on Wednesday.
He isn’t in their team currently playing a four-day warm-up match against the England Lions at Worcester, and Gibson didn’t rule out a speculative check call on his availability should he not be picked to play in the opening Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
“I wasn’t aware of that,” said Gibson. “But if he’s going to be in the country and not playing for them, there’s a conversation to be had.
“I’d be surprised if he’s not playing for them given how well he’s done for them and for us in English conditions.
“If you look at the guys who have been performing, they are homegrown Yorkshire players doing really well.
“Vishwa came in and did a brilliant job for us.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Matthew Fisher could play as many as four Championship matches in September.
“But, at the minute, there’s no talk of an overseas coming in, so it’s going to be these homegrown Yorkshire players who go out and get this club promoted.
“Everybody’s in a good place at the minute, and I feel like everybody wants the same thing – to get this club back into that first division.”
