Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Adam Lyth is Yorkshire’s all-time leading T20 run-scorer and is enjoying a fine campaign at the top of the order.
Adam Lyth has enjoyed a renaissance this summer when it comes to his T20 batting, and Yorkshire’s all-time leading run-scorer has been talking about the reasons why.
Lyth, aged 38, is way ahead at the top of the White Rose charts in this format; 4,742 runs in 192 appearances with 29 fifties and two hundreds. Former captain – and coach – Andrew Gale is next on the list 2,260, closely followed by current captain Jonny Bairstow on 2,061.
They are the only three batters to have topped 2,000 T20 runs for Yorkshire.
But Lyth had a difficult 2025, scoring 162 runs from eight appearances with a top score of 38.
This season, he more than doubled that number with 357 in 11 outings with one hundred and one fifty. Those were a brilliant 131 not out in victory over Leicestershire at Headingley last Sunday and 97 in a home defeat against Gloucestershire at the end of May.
He still holds the Blast record for the highest individual score having amassed 161 against Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Headingley in 2017.
“I will never play another knock like that,” he said. “That was ridiculous. That record will get broken, without a doubt. But it’s mine for now.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Adam Lyth celebrates scoring his century against Leicestershire at Headingley last Sunday.
Lyth has been speaking ahead of Yorkshire’s final Blast group game at home to Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Headingley tomorrow afternoon, 3.30pm start.
It’s a clash between the top two teams in the group.
Nottinghamshire have secured top spot courtesy of a home win over Leicestershire last night, while Yorkshire were beaten by Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.
The White Rose are not yet there in terms of quarter-final qualification but it would take something remarkable for them not to advance even with a defeat tomorrow given the strength of their net run-rate.
Yorkshire are four points clear of third-placed Lancashire, who host Durham tomorrow. The Red Rose would need to win by a massive margin to overturn things, hoping Yorkshire lose big.
Even then, the White Rose could advance as one of the two best third-placed finishers.
Back to Lyth and his upturn in form.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Adam Lyth hit a Vitality Blast record 161 against Northamptonshire in 2017.
He said: “We sat down in the winter and concentrated a lot on my T20 batting.
“I’ve just freed up the off-side a lot more rather than just sort of playing one side of the wicket, really.
“I’d probably gone away from my strength, which is going over the off-side, over the last two or three years, whereas now I’m playing on both sides of the wicket.
“I’ve been working on that and tactical stuff. Batting with Jonny (Bairstow) has also helped me massively.”
It was interesting to listen to head coach Anthony McGrath’s view on Lyth’s return to form in T20.
He added: “Him and John Sadler did a lot of video work in the winter, looking at how he’s gone about it and picking out when he’s done well, particularly in the powerplay, what shots he’s played, where he’s looking to score, those kind of things.
“I think he’s probably suited to batting with Jonny, left and right hand, and we bat very deep as well.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Anthony McGrath has been talking about Adam Lyth’s excellent Blast form this summer.
“I think sometimes he’s maybe felt a little bit more responsibility of having to get a score. Now, he can just go out and play. If he gets us off to a good start, 30 off 15 is a good start for us. But going on and getting match-winning scores is obviously massive.
“And he’s probably had the bit between his teeth.
“He didn’t go well last year, there was chat about him not playing and those kind of things.
“But a man of that quality – how long he’s played – he’s wanted to prove people wrong, which is a great thing to have, particularly at his stage in his career.
“He’s still got that desire to do well, he’s got the hunger, and that’s fantastic.”
Since losing to Yorkshire on the opening night of the competition in late May, Nottinghamshire have won eight of their next 10 games to advance to the knockouts.
Captained by opening batter Joe Clarke, they have South African all-rounder George Linde as an overseas and Sri Lankan left-arm quick Binura Fernando as another. They have also signed former Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Amir on a short term contract as a local player courtesy of him having a British passport.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Nottinghamshire opener George Munsey.
Scotland opener George Munsey (468) is amongst the top three leading run-scorers in the competition.
This is part of a Blast double-header day with Yorkshire’s women, who are bidding to end their campaign with a fourth straight win. They host The Blaze from 11.30am. Yorkshire can’t qualify for next Friday’s Finals Day at The Kia Oval, The Blaze are already there.
