High-flier Lees not tempted to look too far ahead

What a year it has been for the Yorkshire batsman, who today flies to Australia as part of the England Performance Programme that will shadow the Test squad Down Under.

A year that began with Yorkshire president Geoffrey Boycott tipping the young man as a star of the future is set to end not so much with the trip of a lifetime but the first of what promises to be several such trips for a talented player.

For Lees, 20, is viewed by many – not least Boycott – as the next cab off the rank in terms of Yorkshire’s England prospects as he aims to follow in the footsteps of Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance and into the full England fold.

Lees, however, is not a man inclined to run before he can walk.

Although his head will quite literally be in the clouds today as he makes the long trek to the other side of the world, his feet are most definitely planted on the ground.

By Lees’s calculations, he is “at least a couple of years away – minimum” from any serious talk about aspiring to the heights of his club colleagues.

It is the sort of commonsense attitude that has characterised his batting for Yorkshire and which has deservedly earned him this next step up the ladder.

“Of course, I’d love to follow in the footsteps of my Yorkshire team-mates who have done so well in recent times, but I’m well aware that I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me and that I need to be consistent for Yorkshire and the EPP first,” said Lees.

“Obviously, Yorkshire is a big county and people are always talking about who might make the step up one day, but I know I’m at least a couple of years away – minimum – from anything like that.

“Not only that, but that’s only if I perform well for two years and keep making progress.

“Cricket’s a funny game; you do well one year and then the next year you might not do so well, so I know I’ve got a long way to go.”

If Lees’s performances for Yorkshire last summer were any indication, he undoubtedly has the ability to follow the likes of Root, Bairstow and Ballance.

A tall and technically correct left-hander, Halifax-born Lees was the club’s find of the season as he broke into the Championship side and scored 500 runs at 45.45.

He displayed a terrific temperament for one so young, holding his nerve to record his maiden Championship century at no less a venue than Lord’s, following up with a colossal innings of 275 not out against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Now he hopes to continue his development on the one-month EPP tour, where the squad will undertake extensive training at the new Cricket Australia High Performance Centre in Brisbane and at the University of Western Australia facility at Perth, in addition to playing two three-day games.

“I haven’t played that much cricket in my career, but it’s nice that the selectors have seen something in me to take a bit of a punt on, and hopefully I can repay them by improving and getting some runs on the tour,” said Lees.

“This winter, I just want to improve really, and hopefully that will lead to me playing consistently well for Yorkshire.

“My No 1 target is to cement my spot for Yorkshire in all formats.

“Hopefully, the experience I gain from this trip can help me do that.”

A successful trip Down Under could also put Lees firmly in the frame for the England 
Lions’ tour of Sri Lanka in the new year, which will be led by former Yorkshire pace bowler and current Sussex cricket manager Mark Robinson.

“I suppose that’s a possibility,” said Lees.

“But I’ve got to perform on this tour first.

“We’ll see how Australia goes and take it from there.

“It’s going to be a fantastic learning curve.”

Simon Kerrigan is part of the official EPP squad but is staying in the UK to undertake a programme of development drawn up by ECB lead spin bowling coach Peter Such. Jamie Overton and Mark Wood are also staying behind to undertake strength and conditioning work

Alex Lees was speaking at All Rounder Cricket Equipment store in Headingley, which is running a competition to win a trip for two, worth over £7,000, to the Sydney Ashes Test in January.

The store, founded by ex-Yorkshire batsman Chris Taylor, is 
offering the prize as a thank-you to those who have supported it since 2011.

For a chance to win, visit www.allroundercricket.com or the store’s Facebook page to enter for free.

The competition starts today and closes in 21 days, with the draw to be made at 3.00pm on Friday, December 6.