Jonny Tattersall believes Yorkshire’s increased discipline has been a key reason for their recent upturn in fortunes in the Vitality County Championship.
Yorkshire have won their last three matches, dating back to late June, to hoist themselves into the thick of the Division Two promotion race.
The latest win came against leaders Sussex at Scarborough yesterday, by four wickets, and they head into the final four games of the season just nine points off top spot and three behind second-placed Middlesex, who visit Headingley on Thursday.
Tattersall is captaining Yorkshire at the moment in the absence of Shan Masood due to international duty. Masood missed the Sussex game and will also be absent for Middlesex, with Pakistan hosting Bangladesh in a two-Test series.
With Masood missing the win over Gloucestershire at Scarborough in early July because of concussion, Tattersall led Yorkshire in both of their wins at that venue this summer.
“It was fantastic to get the victory,” he said of their win against Sussex. “We played great cricket for four days and won near enough every session in that game.
“The boys have shown great spirit all week, and the bowlers were so disciplined on a good wicket. We were on it from ball one and went all the way through.
“Earlier on in the season, in the first seven games arguably, we didn’t show the consistency that we have in this last three games. That’s definitely helped us win these three games fairly comfortably.
“In some of the games in the first seven, we ended up drawing or coming out on the wrong side probably because of that lack of inconsistency, not just with ball but with bat as well.
“We’re just getting into that groove now where we’re producing for four days, and we’ve got to keep doing that.
“You’ve got to work so hard in four-day cricket to get victories. You have to turn up session in and session out, and that’s what we’ve done. Long may that continue going into these last four games.”
Confidence is now sky-high within the Yorkshire dressing room ahead of Thursday’s blockbuster clash with Middlesex at Headingley.
Yorkshire’s two defeats so far this season came away against Middlesex and Sussex. They have already avenged one, now for the other.
“Exciting times, and it’s a massive game next,” added Tattersall.
“There’s no hiding from the fact we were out-played down at Middlesex, and we were obviously disappointed with that. But the season’s a long one, and we’ve been working hard and picking up batting and bowling points, which have kept us within touching distance.
“Now we’re starting to pick up some really good performances and finish games off. I’m sure we’ll go into this game expecting to win.
“If the rain stays away, I’m sure the lads will be expecting to go out and win all of these remaining games. But we’ll just keep taking it a session at a time.
“If we do that, we’ll be in a great place come the end of the season.”
Middlesex also head into Thursday’s clash on the back of a victory.
They beat Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School yesterday by eight chasing a final day target of 111. It was their fourth win of the season so far.
Meanwhile, Ottis Gibson has confirmed that Matthew Fisher, while closing in on a return from the ankle injury which has kept him out of action since May, is not quite ready to face Middlesex. But Dom Bess will be back in contention having missed Sussex.
The coach added: “Fish is getting closer, but I don’t think he’s ready yet to come in.
“At this stage of the season, where there’s so much riding on the games, I need people that are ready and 100 percent. I don’t think he’s 100 percent ready to go just yet.
“We’ll bring Bessy back into the squad and have a look at what sort of surface we have when we get to Headingley.
“It will be the same squad including Dom.”
