Adam Lyth spoke of one of his favourite centuries in White Rose colours after giving Yorkshire a sniff of victory against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Lyth’s fabulous 153, his third century of the LV= Insurance County Championship season and his highest score in the competition since 2016, helped the county recover from being asked to follow-on 223 runs behind yesterday.
His was the main contribution in setting up a Notts chase of 174, which Notts ate into by closing day three on 42-1. They will require 132 more during the final day of the 2021 campaign tomorrow.
“I’m thoroughly delighted with the way I played there, both yesterday and today,” said opener Lyth.
“It’s probably one of the best hundreds I’ve got for Yorkshire because of the circumstances of the game – getting bowled out for 70-odd in the first innings and made to follow-on on a pretty sporting wicket against a very good side.
“The last couple of months haven’t gone well for me runs wise.
“So, getting a big score eases everything for me.”
Lyth’s other two hundreds came during the opening month of the season. But, since the end of April, he had only reached 30 twice in Championship cricket until this innings.
Coach Andrew Gale admitted last night that Lyth would have been left out until Gary Ballance reported illness.
“It’s how the game works,” said Lyth. “I’ve struggled for a couple of months getting runs, and the day before the game I knew I wasn’t going to be playing. Then Gary wasn’t very well and I played.
“There was almost nothing to lose really.
“I was happy with how I played in the first innings (four in 27 balls), I just misjudged one. But I kicked on yesterday and today.”
It is now one more push for Yorkshire’s team, who can no longer qualify for the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord’s next week but would end the season with a spring in their step with victory.
Lyth added: “Tonight, we probably over-strived a little bit with the ball and went both sides of the wicket.
“It would have been nice to get a couple more tonight, but the ball’s still hard and doing plenty. So you never know.
“We know we can’t make the finals, but we want to finish the season on a high. If we can bowl the areas they did for long periods of time, there’s going to be some wickets out there for us tomorrow.”
