
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Will Luxton hoists Jamie Overton for six en-route to a career best 71 today.
Yorkshire’s Will Luxton has had a whirlwind few days, which ended successfully with a career best 71 on day one against Surrey at Scarborough today.
Luxton was part of the Professional County Clubs Select XI squad to play in three one-day games against the touring Pakistan A side at Beckenham, where he has been since Saturday alongside county colleague Jafer Chohan.
Luxton was expecting to play down south today, and trained there as recently as yesterday morning.
However, with problems surrounding Imam-Ul-Haq’s visa, he was called back to county duty and travelled north last night to play here, helping the White Rose end day one against the champions in good order at 282-4 from 86 overs.
“I knew Imam was struggling visa wise in the short term, and it was 50-50 as to whether he would get one for today. So we made made the decision for me to come back up,” he said.
“It was a bit of a bonus game for me, and those things happen for a reason.
“It was nice for me to get out there and get some runs.
“Against top of the table, you’d take that day any day of the week. Batting first, to be only four down, it’s a good day for us.”
Given he hot-footed it back home last night, Luxton – aged 22 – will sleep well tonight: “I am pretty tired,” he smiled.
But he will sleep safe in the knowledge that his second Championship fifty has put Yorkshire in a healthy position.
He shared in a 149-stand with James Wharton for the third wicket from 107-2 either side of tea. Wharton with 78 and Fin Bean with 57 were the day’s other two fifty-makers.
“I have a lot of nice memories of this ground. It’s a lovely place to bat,” said Luxton, who made both his first-team and first-class debuts on this ground.
Luxton and Wharton came together shortly after lunch, with Dan Worrall removing Adam Lyth and Bean in the same over.
Luxton went on: “Surrey are an experienced team. Once they get a sniff, they try and get on top of you. So fair play to Wharts, he went out and played nicely, and we solidified things for quite a few overs. It was nice to help the team out.
“It was very frustrating to get out the way I did.”
Luxton came into this game on the back of a breakthrough campaign in the Vitality Blast, and he added: “I’m feeling very confident.
“That’s credit to the coaches and how they’ve backed me this year. Today, it was a case of, ‘Go out there and play how you want to play’.”