Headingley call brings Bairstow back from England sidelines

Bairstow has been made available by England for tonight’s match against Derbyshire at Headingley after a month spent kicking his heels during the one-day international series against New Zealand and Champions Trophy 50-over competition.

It is exactly one calendar month since Bairstow’s last match – against New Zealand in the Headingley Test – but the player is philosophical.

“It’s just one of those things,” said Bairstow, who was deemed surplus to requirements by England.

“It’s something that I can’t have helped.

“I’m striking the ball really well in the nets and looking forward to getting out there with a Yorkshire shirt on.

“Hopefully, I can help the team to start the campaign really well,” he added.

Bairstow, who did not field questions about England or the Ashes during Yorkshire’s Twenty20 media launch in Leeds yesterday, granted reporters a five-minute interview.

He said he hoped Yorkshire could build on their success in last year’s T20 competition when they reached Finals Day for the first time.

“It was fantastic getting to Finals Day last year,” he said.

“It’s something that we’re looking forward to trying to do again.

“If we can do it, brilliant; if we don’t, well, we’ll have given it our best shot.

“Hopefully, we can go one step further and win it this year.”

Jason Gillespie, Yorkshire’s first-team coach, said he was delighted to have Bairstow back in the side.

The batsman-wicketkeeper will take the gloves tonight before rejoining England for Sunday’s Ashes warm-up against Essex at Chelmsford.

“We’re really pleased and grateful that England have allowed us to have Jonny for this one game,” said Gillespie.

“He will take the gloves and we’ve been consistent in that; whenever he comes back to Yorkshire we give him the gloves.

“There may be occasions, somewhere in the future, where he does come back and play as a batter.

“But we like to give him as many opportunities with the gloves as we can.”

Gillespie added that Yorkshire did try to get Bairstow back for some Championship cricket earlier this month.

But he said the move was blocked by rules and regulations.

“We were hoping to get him released for some Championship cricket during the Champions Trophy but ICC rules dictated that you can’t leave the squad, and something about there being unfair advantage for the home country,” said Gillespie.

“The bottom line is it wasn’t allowed, but we did ask the question.

“It’s just great to have him back for this game and we’re really looking forward to the T20,” he said.

“It’s going to be a challenge to back up what we did last year, no doubt, but I certainly think we’ve got the personnel.”