Opportunity knocks again at Yorkshire CCC for Jonny Tattersall

The 22-year-old has signed a short-term contract to start the new season on Yorkshire’s books after impressing with a century in the final second team match of last season.

The batsman made one appearance for Yorkshire’s first team as a junior professional but fell for a duck against Glamorgan in a one-day match in 2013.

Since his release, the former England Under-19s player has been a prolific run-scorer with Yorkshire League club Harrogate and won two T20 trophies as an overseas professional in Australia over the winter.

With batting options limited at Headingley following Andrew Gale’s step up to head coach and the uncertainty over Aussie Peter Handscomb’s international commitments, Tattersall is aiming to make his mark second time around.

“It’s another opportunity to show what I have got,” Tattersall said.

“I probably didn’t think I would be coming back to Yorkshire. I believe in myself and in my ability and I felt I would get somewhere else.

“I went to Derbyshire and felt I did quite well but it didn’t work out.

“I feel it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time and I was there for that last game and made it count.

“You always go out to score as many runs as you can but you’re never sure what’s going to happen over the winter with counties making signings.

“I was hoping to get the call back but you can never guess. It’s a nice surprise when they say you’re going to get a second chance - even if it is only for a short period of time.”

Tattersall’s path back into the Yorkshire set-up follows a similar course of fellow youngster Azeem Rafiq.

The spin bowler returned to boyhood club Barnsley before earning a call back into the county squad last year and impressing in the T20 Blast.

“I am going to try and do what Azeem did - it’s what the county need,” Tattersall added.

“Things can change quite quickly. It keeps your spirits high seeing people go on like that. Azeem didn’t play cricket for a year but he came back and turned it around. It gives you a lot of hope that things can turn around for you too.”

Tattersall was vice-captain for England at the 2013 Under-19s World Cup and had been tipped to follow in the footsteps of predecessors Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Alex Lees.

However, he failed to make his mark in Yorkshire’s second team during his two-year professional contract and left the county at the end of the 2015 season.

The 2015 season was his best in local league cricket, however, as he scored more than 1,300 runs for Harrogate.

Last year, the batsman helped Harrogate win the inaugural Yorkshire League North title and scored four half centuries in five matches for minor county Lincolnshire.

The Knaresborough-born batsman has also played as an overseas player over the last two winters at New Town CC in Tasmasnia, Australia.

On his time at Harrogate, Tattersall added: “It’s always great playing at Harrogate. Knowing George Ross as captain from our time at Yorkshire in junior cricket, we’ve just gone out and enjoyed playing cricket with mates.

“You go out relaxed and end up playing better. Playing on that great pitch week in week out, too, that would be great for any batsman.

“Hopefully, we can put some pressure on the league title again.”