Yorkshire take control against Hampshire after Jonny Bairstow hits 102

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/may/10/yorkshire-hampshire-match-report

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Yorkshire were under the spotlight both on and off the field as they began their four-day game against Hampshire. Adam Lyth let his bat do the talking as he made a half-century to strengthen his Test match credentials, while Jonny Bairstow sent a reminder to England with a fine century. By contrast Yorkshire’s coach, Jason Gillespie, remained silent on speculation that he will take over as England’s head coach. Gillespie may be keeping mum on the England position but he made his hardline attitude to discipline known when he refused to consider the Test bowler Liam Plunkett for this game.

Plunkett returned home from the Caribbean last week and was available to boost Yorkshire’s fast bowling stocks. However, he failed to attend the team’s photocall and training session on Saturday. Gillespie, citing a breach of Yorkshire’s “sacrosanct internal code of conduct,” then refused to consider Plunkett for selection. The pace bowler spent the day carrying the drinks and will head to Canterbury on Monday with the second XI.

Were Gillespie to be offered the England job, the way he handled the Plunkett issue speaks of a man who will take no nonsense from players. Plunkett was crucial to Yorkshire’s title victory last year. With the possibility of him being unavailable for much of the summer due to England duty, a coach could be forgiven for letting such a misdemeanour slide. Not Gillespie.

The club issued a strongly worded statement, saying that Plunkett had “crossed the line”. He was given no leeway or special treatment, despite his status as an England player. It speaks to Gillespie’s PR savviness that Plunkett’s disciplinary breach was made clear to fans and media alike early on Sunday morning. Yorkshire’s on-field performance, particularly the way two of their young charges helped them recover from an afternoon wobble, also strengthened Gillespie’s credentials.

Lyth will, barring injury, become England’s 666th Test cap next Thursday – although the ECB has offered to let him be No667 if he doesn’t want to be saddled with ‘the number of the beast.’ Despite having spent the past month in the nets and running drinks in the Caribbean, Lyth showed few signs of rustiness on his return to Championship cricket.

Off the mark first ball with a scampered two, Lyth pulled and drove his way to a fine half-century. After losing Alex Lees early, lbw to James Tomlinson, Lyth played patiently and although Hampshire bowled well under cloudy skies they were frustrated in the morning session when they let several chances slip away from them.

Maybe it was because it was the first time Lyth and Cheteshwar Pujara had played together, but the calling between the two was poor. Pujara would have been run out by a yard had Sean Terry’s shy from point connected, and Lyth narrowly avoided two run-out chances. James Vince dropped a low Pujara offering but the batsman failed to build on the reprieve. Looking shaky against the quick but erratic Fidel Edwards, he pushed forward to Tomlinson and offered a comfortable catch to second slip.

Lyth and Andrew Gale played with urgency following the loss of Pujara. The two put on 52 in 78 balls, with Lyth driving through the covers with ease. He received rapturous applause when he reached his 50 from 110 deliveries, before falling two balls later as he edged Andre Adams behind. When Gale departed, caught off a leading edge by a diving Michael Carberry at point, Yorkshire were 114 for four and struggling. But the partnership between Bairstow and Jack Leaning, both players who have flourished under Gillespie and his potential England coaching rival Paul Fabrace, rescued them.

“Both Gillespie and [Paul] Farbrace have different qualities,” said Bairstow after the game. “They’ve made huge improvements here, topped off by us winning the Championship. I’m sure whether they get the job or don’t, they’ll bring their good qualities to English cricket.”

Bairstow’s innings was aggressive, measured and entertaining to boot. He cover drove Tomlinson, hooked Edwards into the stands for six, late cut Liam Dawson and near single-handedly dispatched four Edwards overs for 53. His 104-ball century included 11 boundaries and three sixes. “It wasn’t a conscious decision to play how I did, it was just something that happened and fortunately today it happened for the good of the team,” he added.

His partnership with Leaning steadied Yorkshire before he fell, edging the consistent Adams behind. Adil Rashid didn’t last long, caught at mid-on as he tried to whip Gareth Berg through midwicket, before Will Rhodes was caught behind trying to guide Berg down through third man. Hampshire fought back well. Edwards aside, the bowlers were consistent and Adams in particular deserved his figures of three for 57. Tim Bresnan and Leaning quietly made their way to a 50 partnership and Leaning will go into Monday searching for his second first-class century.