Jhye can fly after Somerset knock says Yorkshire’s Joe Root

Richardson has struggled with the ball in his overseas stay, returning combined figures of 4-309 in three County Championship matches at an average of 77.25.

Root pumped up his tyres after the match down in Taunton, saying that the 29-year-old could take a lot from the way that he helped Yorkshire to their first triumph of the season at the fourth attempt.

“I’m really chuffed for Jhye,” said the former England captain, who was an opponent of Richardson in the recent Ashes series.

“He might not have got the rewards he’d like with the ball so far, but to have a valuable contribution like that (with the bat), to add to a win, hopefully that gives him a lot of confidence as well.”

Richardson’s innings was a most un-rabbit-like one for a tail-end player.

It was his fifth first-class fifty, in fact, on just his 34th appearance, the Australian helping to add 85 runs for the last two wickets in the Yorkshire second innings: 10 runs more than the final margin of victory.

Richardson batted for 127 minutes, faced as many deliveries and hit seven fours in a fine effort.

Jack White, the No 11 who is more of a rabbit in the conventional sense, played his part too by keeping him company for over an hour.

“The way Jhye batted for his fifty and Jack facing 35 balls – they were important runs in a low-scoring game,” added Root, who struck 33 and 64 in the fixture and took 4-49 with his off-spin bowling as Somerset were dismissed for 184 in pursuit of 260 to win.

“To go from a 210 lead to 260 – that’s a big margin. Take 30 off that and there’s a completely different complexion to it.”

Now Richardson, who comes from Perth in Western Australia, will be looking to back up his success in his main suit with the ball.

Anthony McGrath, the Yorkshire head coach, said prior to the Somerset match that Richardson would either miss that game or the one against Warwickshire at Edgbaston that starts on Friday – a fixture that Root will also sit out as Harry Brook, his England team-mate, comes into the fray for his first appearance of the campaign.

However, there is another key game against Surrey at Headingley to follow before the Championship takes a break for the T20 Blast, a match for which both Root and Brook are available.

Richardson will hope to make an impression in a stint that has so far been plagued by complications.

First, the right-armer was forced to sit out the opening game of the season against Glamorgan in Cardiff as his travel plans were disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East.

He was then substituted out of his debut against Hampshire at Headingley after going down with food poisoning.

Richardson returned for the home match against Sussex where his figures of 34-1-190-2 were the most expensive of his career.