Yorkshire's Bairstow hits first century in two years

Vitality County Championship Division Two, Headingley (day one)

Yorkshire 372-5: Bairstow 107*; Hollman 3-99

Middlesex: Yet to bat

Yorkshire 3 pts, Middlesex 1 pt

Match scorecard

England’s Jonny Bairstow scored his first first-class period successful a small complete 2 years arsenic Yorkshire had overmuch nan amended of nan opening time of their County Championship promotion conflict pinch Middlesex astatine Headingley.

Bairstow, 34, has struggled for shape of precocious and, wrong nan past 2 months, has been dropped from each England sides. But he refuses to beryllium written off, arsenic this fantabulous 107 not retired disconnected 130 balls suggests.

He underpinned Yorkshire’s 372-5 from 96 overs and was supported by half-centuries for Adam Lyth and George Hill. Impressive Luke Hollman returned 3-99 from 27 overs of leg-spin.

Yorkshire started this game, nan 11th of 14, successful 3rd spot successful Division Two - 3 points down Middlesex successful second. Both won their respective fixtures past week.

Having won nan reverse fixture astatine Lord’s successful April, Middlesex knew that completing nan double would springiness them a stranglehold connected nan title for a return to nan apical flight. But they person important activity to do.

Most cricket lovers will cognize that erstwhile Bairstow has a constituent to prove, he is astatine his astir dangerous.

And, having been discarded by England, he had immoderate reminding to do.

This was his besides his first first-class period for Yorkshire since May 2016.

Yorkshire started nicely, pinch first-class debutant Noah Cornwell, Middlesex’s England Under-19s left-arm seamer, and Toby Roland-Jones put nether early pressure.

Lyth and Fin Bean shared 68 wrong 16 overs and recovered nan bound regularly. Bean deed two, for example, disconnected Roland-Jones successful nan first complete aft nan hosts had elected to bat connected a hybrid transportation pinch 2 frontline spinners successful their side.

By nan clip Lyth reached his 50 disconnected 56 balls, Bean had been removed for 27 - bowled by Henry Brookes having dragged connected attempting to pull.

And erstwhile Lyth was lbw for 61 playing backmost to Luke Hollman’s leg-spin, Yorkshire were 105-2 aft 26 overs.

By now, it was clear this transportation was a bully 1 contempt being utilized during The Hundred.

After lunch, Luxton swept Hollman and James Wharton pulled nan aforesaid bowler for sixes complete mid-wicket.

But Middlesex, now bowling pinch nan older Kookaburra ball, were tighter than they had been early on.

And that brought reward, arsenic Hollman - bowling from nan Howard Stand End - prised retired James Wharton and Will Luxton arsenic nan brace grounded to make nan astir of starts.

Wharton fell caught astatine gaffe for 40 trying to trim a shot excessively adjacent to him earlier Luxton pulled to short midwicket arsenic 2 wickets fell wrong six overs, leaving Yorkshire 185-4 successful nan 52nd over. They had shared 67 for nan 3rd wicket.

Yorkshire’s 3rd half-century business came via Bairstow and skipper Jonny Tattersall done to tea, wherever nan people was 240-4.

Bairstow was proactive alternatively than destructive - little than half of his runs came successful boundaries - though he nailed a propulsion changeable disconnected Brookes for six complete to nan Western Terrace broadside of this ground.

But nan guidelines - connected 57 - was surgery successful nan opening complete of nan evening erstwhile Tattersall top-edged a expanse against Leus du Plooy’s left-arm and was caught for 26 by gaffe moving astir down nan wicketkeeper - 242-5 successful nan 65th.

Bairstow went connected to scope his 50 disconnected 63 balls and shared successful Yorkshire’s 4th half-century business of nan innings, this clip pinch sixth-wicket partner Hill.

Hill sewage successful connected nan six-hitting enactment by lofting du Plooy down nan ground, but Bairstow was starting to show signs of his belligerent best.

He fiercely trim Hollman for 4 successful beforehand of quadrate and drilled him complete mid-off’s caput for different bound successful nan aforesaid over, nan 74th, arsenic nan people moved to 283-5.

Like Bairstow, who pulled Roland-Jones for his 2nd six, Hill - 58 not retired - has had his caller troubles pinch nan bat. But he looked successful fantabulous bid arsenic they shared an unbroken 130.

He reached his 50 disconnected 77 balls precocious successful nan time earlier Bairstow reached 3 figures disconnected 122 balls and bowed to nan location dressing room successful celebration.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.