Lees stays grounded in living up to Boycott’s top billing

Reflecting on Yorkshire’s track record for producing top England players, Boycott said: “We are still providing some very good players for England, including Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.

“There are also a couple of kids people may not know too much about coming through.

“We’ve got one in Alex Lees. I think he’s very good. Just mark it down because he’s quite young.

“I just like everything about him. I watch technique very closely but I also watch out for their mental application. I like the whole package with him.

“To play Test cricket successfully, you need to have the ability to play under pressure with a good technique.

“He’ll get a game or two this year (for Yorkshire) but don’t expect too much too soon. Len Hutton played his first games for Yorkshire and England and got nought. I got four and four in my first appearances.

“It’s not the end of the world, but what you watch out for is whether they learn from that.

“He’s got plenty of time.”

Boycott’s glowing endorsement returned to mind after Lees scored his maiden County Championship century last week against Middlesex at Lord’s.

The 20-year-old opener made exactly 100 in only his third Championship appearance; it followed an innings of 121 against Leeds Bradford MCCU at Headingley in April in only his third first-class match.

Strong and sturdy, with plenty of style, Lees is another Yorkshire youngster of considerable pedigree.

However, he insists that he has a long way to go before he can justify Boycott’s faith in his talent. “It’s always nice to have a somebody of that calibre who rates you, but you’ve got to back it up,” said Lees.

“If you don’t back it up, then it’s no good, is it? Obviously, it’s very nice and flattering. But I’ve just got to keep doing what I do and keep getting runs for Yorkshire.”

Lees, whose century cemented his place for today’s game at Headingley, hopes to one day emulate Root and Bairstow and play Test cricket.

The Halifax-born left-hander knows he must first of all serve his apprenticeship at county level if he is to follow in the long line of distinguished Yorkshire openers who have represented their country.

“Obviously it’s every young player’s ambition to play for England,” said Lees. “But I’m under no illusion that it’s one ball at a time and one innings at a time.

“The likes of Joe and Jonny have done magnificently well and I would like to follow in their footsteps one day.

“But I’m firmly rooted and just trying to take it innings by innings; I need to get a few good years under my belt first.”

Lees has benefited from Root’s call-up to the Test team, which has created a vacancy at the top of the Yorkshire order, and the county’s policy of backing young players, with director of cricket Martyn Moxon and first-team coach Jason Gillespie keen to reward progress being made.

“It’s fortunate for me that Joe Root is playing for England, which gives the likes of myself an opportunity to play,” said Lees.

“I’d been playing well in the second team this year and I did well in pre-season, but I know I needed a score like the one at Lord’s. But if you work hard enough and you’re good enough, then this is a county that backs the youth system.

“When you make your debut as a young lad, even age-group stuff at 15, 16, 17, and you see the young lads getting given opportunities and doing well, then it really pushes you that little bit more to put the extra hours in because you know you could be given a chance.”

Lees describes himself as “a confident guy” and there was plenty of confidence about his innings at Lord’s.

He was neither fazed by the pressure of a meeting between the then second and third-placed teams nor the salubrious nature of the surroundings; at the same time, he is still having to pinch himself a touch that his first Championship century came on the grandest stage of all – and helped set up a 10-wicket win.

“You dream of scoring your first hundred as a boy and there’s no better place to get it than the home of cricket,” he reflected.

“It was the first time I’d been to the ground, let alone played there, so it was very special from a personal point of view and from a team point of view.

“I’m a confident guy and I believe that if you put the hard work in and back your process, you can be successful.

“You always need a little bit of luck along the way, but I always back myself no matter who I’m playing against.”

On the evidence of his performance at headquarters, Lees could serve Yorkshire well – and possibly England – for years to come.

Boycott, it appears, was absolutely right; the county have unearthed another nugget.