Ben Cliff’s “breakthrough” gives Yorkshire a glimpse of the future

He had already broken through, in other words, into Yorkshire’s first team.

But then Cliff only went and took more wickets - eight in one innings - than he had previously managed in those fixtures combined.

He returned 8-76 against the Championship leaders at the time - the best figures by a Yorkshire bowler since 1998 (Craig White’s 8-55 against Gloucestershire at Gloucester), and the best by a Yorkshire bowler at Headingley since 1980 (Graham Stevenson’s 8-57 against Northamptonshire). Throw in a return of 3-29 in the second innings and Cliff finished with match figures of 11-105.

Not bad for a 23-year-old looking to cement a regular place - and a clear boost to Yorkshire as they look to develop a bowling attack capable of winning the Championship once more.

“It was pretty surreal,” said Cliff, as he reflected on his place in the record books. “I like a good stat and to learn about the history of the club and that sort of stuff.

“We’re lucky that we’ve got people like Mags and Woody and Sads (coaches Anthony McGrath, Matthew Wood and John Sadler) at the club, and people that have played a lot of cricket for Yorkshire that you can ask about these things as well. Even Jonny and Lythy (Jonny Bairstow and Adam Lyth), so that’s really good.”

McGrath, Wood and Gavin Hamilton, Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket, all played in the match in which White tore through Gloucestershire all those years ago. Incredibly, Yorkshire still lost the game by 300 runs, consigning White’s display - which included the hat-trick - to the category marked “heroic failure”.

There were no such frustrations last week for Cliff, his eight-fer helping Yorkshire to a comprehensive victory by 185 runs. It was a performance - both by the man himself and by the team in general - which suggested that Yorkshire could be going places: maybe, they will hope, towards their first Championship title since 2015.

“I think that we've definitely got the talent and the capability to do that,” said Cliff ahead of Thursday’s final game of the season at Nottinghamshire. “I just think that it's about getting those results under your belt and knowing that we are good enough and that we can do this.

“It's about having good days, turning good days into good weeks, getting results, working hard and obviously there's a lot of guys now that have played a lot of cricket that are impressing a lot of people. It's exciting, and it’s now about finishing this year well so that people say, ‘Look, Yorkshire finished well. Yorkshire look good.’”

Cliff’s eight-fer was evidence of his personal progress. Like all seamers he has had his injury problems and, like all young seamers in particular, he has had to bide his time, waiting for opportunities behind more established names.

“Whenever you get left out and you see the players that you’re getting left out for, you can’t complain,” Cliff added. “We’re a very talented group, and it’s one that I’m privileged to be part of.

“The likes of Coad and White and Hill and Revis, and those guys in previous years as well – Milnes, Thompson, those sort of guys that you look up to. You’re like, ‘Yeah, they’re pretty good’. But it makes you better, makes you more determined. You know you need to work hard for it, and you know that when you do get your chance, you deserve it.”

Cliff could hardly have taken his chance more emphatically last week. He had never previously taken more than two wickets in a first-class innings, although he had managed a five-fer in a One-Day Cup match against Warwickshire at Scarborough last year.

“I must say it was nice to get my first five-fer in first-class cricket,” said Cliff. “First-class cricket means a lot. I’ve done it in List A but four-day cricket… it’s nice to get that reward.”

The challenge, as McGrath said after the Somerset game, is for Cliff to build on his “breakthrough” performance.

“It can’t be a one-off,” said McGrath, while praising the young man and emphasising the need for consistency from the team in general. “It’s got to be every game in terms of the intent, because if he bowls like that consistently, then he’s going to go higher.”

One notable aspect of Cliff’s maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket was how much it meant to his team-mates as well.

They celebrated as though they themselves had taken the wickets, highlighting Cliff’s popularity and the mood in the squad.

“At the end of the day, we get to play with our best mates every week, so that obviously means that bit more as well,” Cliff said.

“You spend so much time with each other. We’re just happy for each other when others do well.”