Adam Lyth said his opening partner Fin Bean put on a “masterclass in batting at Scarborough” today as the two centurions piled the pressure on Gloucestershire on day one.
Lyth and Bean scored 129 and 164 respectively, sharing 307 for the first wicket through until after tea following Gloucestershire’s decision to bowl first.
This was Lyth’s fourth Championship hundred of the season and his fourth on this ground across his career playing red ball cricket. The 36-year-old has also scored two here for Yorkshire in List A cricket.
For Bean, 22, this was his first at North Marine Road.
The pair shared the ground’s highest ever first-class opening partnership.
“I’m so pleased for him to get on the board for the first time here, and I’ve got no doubt he’ll be on the board three or four more times in the coming seasons,” said Lyth.
“He’s got 160 or 170, and I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t go and make a similar contribution. But putting on 307 – as Carlsberg does days, that’s as good as it gets.
“It’s my home club, and friends and family have come down to watch.
“I was saying to Beany out in the middle, ‘Let’s try and make this count’.
“It wasn’t a typical Scarborough wicket. There wasn’t a heap of seam movement. So, as soon as we got over the 100 and were then both closing in on hundreds, I was telling him, ‘There’s no better time to make it a big one’.”
Bean added: “It’s obviously a good day.
“It was nice to have Lythy at the other end to keep me in order, and it’s just making these days count. It’s such a great venue, the atmosphere’s great and the sun’s out.
“Lythy was brilliant – so fluent. Sometimes, from watching 10 balls, I know whether or not he’s going to get runs.”
Yorkshire will head into day two in a fantastic position, closing on 348-3 from 96 overs.
They have 14 overs to get another 102 for a maximum fifth batting bonus point.
But Lyth added: “If we get there, brilliant. If we don’t, I’d rather us get 560 or 570. I know it’s batting points, but I’d rather us not lose two wickets going for that point.
“If we can bat well and bat them out of it, there’s a chance we can go for the win.”
Gloucestershire captain Graeme van Buuren, one of three visiting wicket-takers, made the decision to bowl under an overcast sky this morning. Unfortunately for him, though, the sun burst through and stayed out for the rest of the day.
“It was more the overheads (at the toss),” he added. “We weren’t really sure what to do, but I thought it was in our favour to bowl.”
