Patience was the theme as all-rounder Jordan Thompson spoke to the media tonight about his excellent half-century on day two at Scarborough and also Yorkshire’s route to victory against Durham during the next couple of days.
Thompson hit an excellent 54 off 52 balls, helping Yorkshire post a healthy first-innings 340, which also included Adam Lyth’s brilliant 111 on his home ground.
Thompson also hailed the hometown opener before setting out how Yorkshire can force a win over the next two days after Durham responded with 106-1 at close.
“It was what was required of me at the time,” said Thompson, of an innings which started in circumspect fashion and burst into life as wickets fell around him, going on to hit four fours and as many sixes.
“It was a bit more of a sensible knock because I gave myself time on that pitch, and when you do get in at Scarborough you give yourself the ability to score quick runs.
“The lads kept dropping around me, which wasn’t ideal because I was looking at the scoreboard and thinking, ‘We need to push towards 350’.
“But it was nice to contribute because red ball runs haven’t been easy to come by for myself over the past couple of years.
“I feel like I’ve found a technique which I can be a bit more consistent with. There are little things I’ve changed at the start of the year to allow me to score in different areas.
“There was an opportunity when Mos (Dan Moriarty) came in at the end to let loose a bit. Raine was bowling with the wind towards the leg-side, and I thought it was my chance to take him on.”
Thompson has scored two fifties this year, his first coming against Glamorgan at Headingley earlier in the season to help save the game late on day four.
Now, he wants this one to contribute to a victory. But Yorkshire have work to do.
He said: “We know what Scarborough’s like – there’s plenty there. But with the rain around, the pitch is a bit like a sponge. What it is doing, it’s doing it slowly and not quickly enough to bring the outside edge and slips into play.
“It’s about being patient tomorrow and finding different ways to take wickets.
“You can be a bit fuller at Scarborough, but being fuller is not being floaty and allowing teams to hit you back straight.”
And on Lyth, he added: “Lythy’s been class for us for the last few weeks or so, and coming back to Scarborough, he loves it here and has been very good for the last few years. He knows how to go about it when he comes here and will put certain shots away here compared to Headingley.”
Durham’s reply with led by former Yorkshire opener Alex Lees, who finished 65 not out as he chases his fifth Championship century in his last six innings.
He is the only batter in either division to have topped 1,000 runs for the season.
Durham all-rounder Ben Raine, who finished with four wickets today, said of the ex-Yorkshire title winner: “Alex got picked for England last year, but he’s batting significantly better than what he was last year.
“He was in good form last year, but he’s really developed a different side of his game. He’s playing a lot more positive and takes the game on.
“Some of the innings I’ve watched him play this year, I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of it as a bowler.
“He understands the game better than most of the players I’ve ever played with, and he understands when to sit in a bit and also when to take a bowler off his length.”
