Matthew Revis has spoken of his pride at scoring a superb 106 on day three against Derbyshire at Scarborough, even admitting that it was more satisfactory than the maiden career ton he scored against Gloucestershire earlier this season.
Revis has helped Yorkshire into a very strong position heading into day four.
The hosts need nine more wickets to win their second LV= Insurance County Championship match of the season, with Derbyshire closing day three on 65-1 in pursuit of an impossible 571.
“It feels very good,” said the 21-year-old.
“I’d probably say that it felt better than the first one at Headingley given the history behind Scarborough and getting on the honours board here.
“I’m really happy, and it’s been a good day.”
Revis’s name is already up on the honours board in the home dressing room which includes many great names of Yorkshire history.
“It’s been taped on now, which is great. We’re not here again this year, so I’m sure I’ll get to see it next year when it’s up there proper,” he continued.
“But it’s brilliant to be up there with players like Boycott and Ray Illingworth, who’s a legend at my club Farsley.
“I’m on there just below Lythy as well, which is fantastic.”
Revis was one of five players to go beyond 50 in Yorkshire’s second-innings 520-9 declared.
He is indeed the only player in the match to have gone on to post a hundred out of eight fifty-makers.
“It was a little bit trickier than Headingley,” he continued. “There was a bit of turn there, and it was a bit slow. But people like Tommo and Hilly supported me really well and kept me going.
“It’s always entertaining batting with Tommo, but I thought he played a really mature innings. On another day, we could have been bowled out for 400, but we kept going and really grinded them down.”
All-rounder Revis has now scored his first two first-team centuries in the last couple of months and has improved significantly with the ball this summer too.
At 21, he is a cricketer with a very high ceiling.
“I don’t think I’ve ever cemented my place because we have a good young squad with people pushing in the second team as well,” he said. “But after that first century, I had a bit of a quiet spot. So I’ve looked to September to finish well, and hopefully I can.”
He reached 98 not out at tea before adding the all-important two runs early in the evening, just before the declaration.
“When Fish came out, he said to me that we were going to declare after tea no matter what,” he said. “That kind of took the pressure off me, I could set a target of where I wanted to be, and I didn’t need to take many risks.
“But I didn’t really enjoy being on 98 at tea.
“There’s a bit of spin there, and I thought Bessy bowled really well in that last session. Hopefully he can push on tomorrow and take some more wickets.
“If we can bowl like we did on the second day and keep hitting those areas, we’ve got more than enough skill to get the wickets we need.”
Yorkshire were hurt, literally, by an injury to Matthew Fisher, who didn’t bowl after tea.
Revis added: “I’m not really sure what the situation is with Fish. I think it’s more precautionary and he’ll see how he is tomorrow. Hopefully he’s fit and raring to go.”
