It is time for Lyth to start dealing in centuries

The statistics prove it.

Seven times Lyth has been dismissed between 90 and 99, the most recent when he fell for 93 last week against Sussex at Hove.

Seven times, too, he has gone on to three-figures, a conversion rate that gives him cause for frustration.

Fourteen hundreds from 80 first-class games would sound a good deal better than seven hundreds, and it is hundreds, as we all know, that the England selectors notice.

If Lyth is to fulfil his ambitions in that regard, ambitions that have stalled since his annus mirabilis in 2010, when he was the first man in the country to 1,000 first-class runs, he knows he must produce more three-figure scores.

So, does he have a problem in the nervous 90s?

He insists not, but does admit he would like to improve his record.

“I don’t really think about it when I am in the 90s,” said Lyth, ahead of today’s County Championship match between Yorkshire and Middlesex.

“I’ve been out seven times now in the 90s, so I’m obviously disappointed with that, and it’s frustrating when you’ve done all the hard work to get there in the first place.

“I definitely want to get more hundreds and it’s something I’m working hard to achieve.

“Hopefully, in the next game, I can get a three-figure score and start converting a few more of my starts.”

Lyth, 25, is one of the most talented players in the country.

He is also one of the most infuriating.

Talk of selection for England may seem fanciful when one considers the strides taken by such as Joe Root, his Yorkshire team-mate, who is currently Alastair Cook’s opening partner in Test cricket.

And yet Lyth loses nothing by comparison in terms of flair; it is only in matters of concentration and shot selection that he has sometimes fallen short.

“I was very disappointed, having got to 93, not to have gone on and got three figures against Sussex,” he reflected.

“Unfortunately, I got out at a pretty important time in the game, with about eight or nine overs until the second new ball, which didn’t help the lads.

“That’s something I need to work on, but I would have taken 93 at the start of the day, that’s for certain.

“I’m pretty happy with my batting overall, but I know I need to keep making improvements.”

Before Lyth can think once more about representing his country – the closest he has come were a handful of games for England Lions in 2010-11 – he must first of all concentrate on cementing his Yorkshire place.

That is by no means guaranteed following the emergence of another highly-talented opening batsman in Alex Lees, and word has it that it was touch-and-go whether Lyth played at Hove ahead of the 20-year-old.

What Yorkshire require from Lyth is more ruthlessness at the crease, a greater determination from him to make the sizeable hundreds that would make England take note.

He showed what he is capable of when he scored a magnificent 248 not out against Leicestershire last year, an innings that combined flair and fortitude.

Although Lyth missed out on making a hundred at Hove, it should not mask what was a particularly impressive performance on his part.

The tempo of his innings was perfect for the match, with Yorkshire needing to construct a platform in challenging conditions, and it was noticeable how Lyth reined himself in and left the ball well.

Andrew Gale, his captain, was delighted with that tempo and has always been one of his biggest admirers.

He believes there is plenty more to come from the Whitby-born player.

“I was really pleased with the way Lythy went about his business against Sussex,” said Gale.

“He probably felt a bit of pressure for his spot with Alex Lees doing so well and breathing down his neck, and the way that he played was exactly the way that we want him to play.

“He can’t go out and play at one pace like he has done in previous matches and play big booming drives all the time.

“He’s got to wait until he’s in and then he can start to express himself more, which is exactly what he did against Sussex.”

Lyth has often scored a sparkling 50 or so and then got himself out – a succession of glorious cover drives followed by a frustratingly tame ending.

Gale said all the players encourage each other to make the most of their talents.

“I think the dressing room demands ruthlessness,” said Gale.

“The players all talk to each other about how they can improve, and I think a few of the other lads have been disappointed in the fashion that Lythy has given his wicket away at times and they’ve let that be known to him.

“The thing with Lythy is that there are no technical issues with his game; he’s technically very sound and it’s just about knowing how to build an innings.

“That’s always been the case with him; he’s got one of the best cover drives in the game but it can be his downfall as well, but there is no doubting his talent and the qualities that he brings.”