Lyth delivers timely reminder of batting potential for Yorkshire

The Leicester ground was where David Gower played most of his county career, the stylish left-hander with whom Lyth – a fellow southpaw – has drawn comparison.

That such a comparison has lately seemed incongruous is testimony to how Lyth has struggled since 2010.

Back then he was the first man in the country to 1,000 first-class runs, finishing on 1,509 at 52.

Last year, however, he was half the player, managing only 553 first-class runs at 26.

He lost his place in the Yorkshire side and only properly regained it earlier this summer, when Joe Sayers failed to claim a regular spot.

But just when Lyth was once more feeling the heat, having scored only 86 runs in five Championship innings since his return, he showed why comparisons with Gower had been made in the first place.

His personal best of 248 not out was the highest score by a Yorkshire player carrying his bat and Lyth hopes it will invigorate a career that had stalled.

Speaking ahead of today’s Championship game against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, Lyth said: “It was my first three-figure innings in the Championship for a long time and hopefully it will give me the inspiration now to go on and get a few more hundreds before the end of the summer.

“It was nice to finally get past the 20s and 30s and although I’d felt in good form all season, I hadn’t had the big scores I need.

“Now I’ve finally managed to kick on and hopefully it will cement my place in the side for the rest of the season.

“I want to back it up with another big score this week and prove it wasn’t a flash in the pan.”

Lyth’s previous three-figure Championship innings came on June 28, 2010.

Lancashire were the opponents at Old Trafford for a game from which Sayers withdrew with an illness later diagnosed as Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome.

It was one of three hundreds Lyth scored in the Championship that summer to go with nine half-centuries.

So impressive was his form, the Whitby-born opener was even spoken of as an outside bet for that winter’s Ashes tour, a tribute to the class and consistency he displayed.

As so often happens with young players, however, inconsistency reared its ugly head.

Lyth, now 24, was unable to replicate the stellar statistics of 2010 and perhaps tried too hard to break free of his drought.

He developed a habit of “nicking off”, to use the professionals’ argot, regularly edging to the wicketkeeper and slips.

No more than an inch exists between a coruscating cover drive and an edge behind, and Lyth’s calculations grew slightly awry.

“My concentration has maybe lapsed a few times after I’ve got myself in,” he reflected.

“I’ve had lots of good starts but haven’t been able to build on those platforms.

“I’ve had a few decent balls along the way, plus a couple of bad umpiring decisions here and there.

“But I was pleased with the way I dug in at Leicester and managed to keep my concentration going.”

Lyth’s performance at Grace Road was not only his highest innings but his most responsible one.

Instead of going hard at the ball, which has so often seen his downfall, he visibly reined himself in, defending good balls and waiting for bad ones, which he promptly dispatched with Gower-esque aplomb.

Lyth also had the good sense to realise that Jonny Bairstow, his partner during a fourth-wicket partnership of 197, was in the ,sort of form which Bairstow often finds himself – namely, in a mood to make mincemeat of bowling, which he promptly did to the tune of 118 runs from 144 balls.

“I’ve perhaps got a little bit more experience now in game situations,” added Lyth.

“The way Bluey was striking the ball, I didn’t have to do anything silly to push the rate on.

“I’m naturally a quick scorer but I was pleased with the way I adapted to the situation.

“I knew I had to dig in and, to be fair to Leicestershire, they bowled quite well.”

Lyth still harbours hopes of playing for England but can look no further beyond trying to help Yorkshire out of Division Two.

They go into this week’s game second in the table and in the final promotion position, although they have played one more match than leaders Derbyshire (14 points above them) and fourth-placed Kent (three points below them).

“We’d have wiped the floor with Leicestershire if the weather had held,” lamented Lyth.

“Unfortunately, the rain played its part and denied us victory.

“We feel as though we’re in good form as a team and we just need the weather to help us out.

“Hopefully, we can get four good days down at Northampton and achieve what would be an important win.”

Steve Harmison looks to have played his last game for Yorkshire.

The former England pace bowler was yesterday ruled out of the Northamptonshire match with an injury to his left side.

Harmison – nearing the end of a one-month loan spell from Durham – suffered the injury at Grace Road.

In three Championship appearances for Yorkshire, Harmison took eight wickets at 24.47, while he conceded 18 wides and 11 no-balls in his 42 overs.

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