Ali Maiden, Yorkshire’s assistant coach, has hailed the batting exploits of James Wharton and Jonny Tattersall after watching the pair strengthen the county’s position against Derbyshire during a shortened day two at Chesterfield today.
Wharton moved from 116 overnight to 188 and Tattersall from 41 to 93 not out.
In the 35.1 overs of play possible through to 1.50pm, Yorkshire advanced their reply to a first-innings 76 from 283-5 to 416-6.
They completed a sixth-wicket partnership of 241 to keep Yorkshire on track for a second successive victory in Division Two.
Wharton’s century was his first in first-class cricket in his 13th game and his second in the first team having hit one in last season’s Vitality Blast T20.
Of the 23-year-old, Maiden said: “He’s worked hard for it.
“It’s been a couple of years of him trying to push his way into the team.
“Obviously, Joe and Brooky kept him out at the start of the year having finished last season well. It’s just nice to see him get an opportunity and take it. He’s been brilliant.”
This was Tattersall’s third fifty of the Championship season, with the experienced wicketkeeper-batter averaging close to 40 from the lower middle order.
Maiden continued: “Tatts has limited opportunity because our batting line-up is so strong. But he chips in here and there.
“So often he goes in when we need to score quickly or we’re in a tricky position. It’s nice to see him get an opportunity when things are in our favour and show how good he is. I’m really really pleased for him as well.”
There will be plenty of supporters present who will tell you Yorkshire are in an unassailable position after two days at Chesterfield. But Maiden is not counting his chickens just yet.
He insists there is plenty of hard work still to do and a recent example of how things can turn.
“Things have gone our way so far,” he said. “But I remember the game last year where we felt like we were completely in the driving seat and we ended up having to chase 180 or something like that at the end.
“For me, you take each moment and each hour as it comes.
“We’ll come back in the morning and try and get a few more and then see where the game goes.
“I’m sure Derbyshire will be determined to put up a better fist of it in their second innings and make it hard for us.”
The pitch clearly offered plenty of help for the bowlers on day one, but it was difficult to gage today given the majority of overs were bowled by Derbyshire’s spinners in a bid to rectify a slow over-rate.
Maiden added: “We could have done with seeing a bit more of the new ball on that pitch with conditions the way they were. That would have helped us decide a bit on things moving forwards.
“I imagine, as is usually the case in England, if the overheads are like this, then it will do a bit with the new ball.
“They’ll be trying to get through the first couple of hours to get into a position where the ball stops doing as much.
“Certainly there were times yesterday when the ball went up and down a bit.
“They’ll put the heavy roller on and try and even it out and slow the pitch down. But if we get enough of a lead and put enough balls in the right area, with the overheads, it should do enough for us.”
