Adam Lyth is within 80 of becoming the first player to score 4,000 T20 runs for Yorkshire. But it’s another more significant milestone the experienced opening batter craves.
“We’ve been at Finals Day three times and not got over the line,” said the prolific left-hander. “So it would be nice to get there again because the Blast is a trophy I’d love to tick off and win – as we all would.
“We’re desperate to win a white ball trophy.”
Clearly, Yorkshire’s bid for Blast glory has encountered a significant speed bump over the last week, with three successive defeats dropping them outside the top four quarter-final qualifying places in the North Group.
However, it hasn’t yet hit the buffers because two wins from their last two matches, starting against Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside tonight (6.30pm), could still see the Vikings advance to continue the fight for their maiden Blast title and first piece of limited overs silverware since 2002.
“It’s not going to be easy, but it can still be done,” said Lyth, 35-years-old.
“Hopefully we can get over the line against Durham and then who knows what could happen in a Roses game (at Emirates Old Trafford next Friday).”
Lyth currently sits on 3,920 runs from 160 matches, with former captain Andrew Gale (2,260 runs) next on Yorkshire’s leading run-scorers’ list.
Lyth made his T20 debut for Yorkshire in 2008, ironically at Durham in a match which saw him bat at five and Gerard Brophy and Adil Rashid open the batting.
He has since scored 25 fifties and one century.
“The obvious one is the 161 against Northamptonshire at Headingley in 2017,” he reflected. “It’s still the Blast record, but I’m sure it will get broken at some point.
“That’s probably the highlight, with a few Roses knocks in and amongst it.
“Hopefully I’ll get to that 4,000-mark in the next couple of games.”
Lyth has played for other teams in his career, including for Australian Big Bash champions Perth Scorchers last winter. It means he has scored 4,398 runs in all T20 cricket.
He is the 20th leading English run-scorer in T20 history. The list is headed by Alex Hales with 11,214 and includes his Yorkshire opening partner Dawid Malan with 8,536.
Asked for his views on how T20 cricket has changed since his 2008 debut, Lyth said: “There’s been different skills with the bowling, knuckle balls and things like that. They probably weren’t around 10 years or so ago.
“With the bat, the ramp shots and reverse sweeps. Everyone can hit 360 degrees now.
“I’ve just got to keep trying to improve and develop my game. Hopefully there’s a few more runs in the tank for me here in T20 cricket.
“But I’m not bothered about my own personal milestones. I’d rather get two ducks in the next two games and us get through to the quarter-finals. If I can help the team with runs, that’s brilliant. It would be a bonus.”
Yorkshire sit fifth in the North on 12 points from as many games, winning six and losing six. They are level on points with fourth-placed Lancashire, who have a game in hand.
Durham are second-bottom having won four of 11 games, one of those coming against Yorkshire at Headingley at the start of the campaign. They are all but out of the running for the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire captain Shan Masood has been picked in Pakistan’s Test squad for next month’s two-match series in Sri Lanka between July 16-28.
He would miss the Blast quarter-finals and Finals Day should Yorkshire progress along with the trio of Championship matches through July.
