Matty Revis makes magnificent maiden century to put Yorkshire in control

After alumnus George Hill scored a century on the opening day of this Championship game, Matty Revis, another former pupil, achieved his maiden first-class hundred on day two.

No one would have been more delighted for Revis than Brook, the leading member of the “Sedbergh set”, while Hill led the applause on the players’ balcony, from where loud cheers rang out when Revis reached three-figures just after lunch.

Proud as punch, also, will be Martin Speight, the former Sussex and Durham wicketkeeper/batsman, who coached all three at the Cumbria school. Yorkshire and England owe Speight and Sedbergh a debt of gratitude.

Revis, 21, is the junior member of the Yorkshire trio and, as the hosts lifted their first innings score from an overnight 393-6 to 550-9 declared, Gloucestershire replying with 232-5, he played magnificently in the late June sunshine.

The tall all-rounder, who actually debuted as an opening batsman in 2019, had 25 to his name when play began in much fresher conditions than on a humid first day, and he had moved to an unbeaten 104, made from 163 balls with 10 fours and a six, when Shan Masood called a halt shortly after 2pm.

Revis received splendid support from Dom Leech, with whom he added 71 for the eighth wicket (Leech’s 32 was also a career-best), and then from debutant Mark Steketee, with whom he shared 67 for the ninth wicket.

When Steketee fell to a rush of blood, stumped attempting to hit Zafar Gohar, the left-arm spinner, in the general direction of Elland Road football ground, another debutant, Dan Moriarty, saw Revis from 96 and through to his hundred, celebrated with an understated fist pump and a general demeanour that struck just the right balance between joy and humility.

“It was pretty special, a great day all round,” said Revis, whose previous first-class best was 53 not out.

“There was a bit of relief there more than anything; I felt like I’d been playing well this season but I really wanted to make it count.

“I’m hoping this can kickstart the rest of my year and then my career going forward, because getting fifties is all well and good but it’s the big scores that matter.

“Credit to ‘Stek’ (Steketee) and ‘Mozza’ (Moriarty) at the other end; they helped me get over the line and then it was great that we picked up wickets late in the day.”

Watched by his parents and by “a few of my mates on the live stream”, Revis helped Yorkshire build on a strong platform at the start of the day thanks not only to Hill’s fine hundred but also one by Fin Bean.

By far the most pleasing aspect of this game for Yorkshire so far is that three young batsmen have made hundreds to confirm their class and potential.

Matty Fisher fell to the day’s fifth ball, feathering a catch behind off Matt Taylor, but Revis and Leech, the 22-year-old pace man, assembled an entertaining partnership.

Revis square-drove Taylor to the boundary early in the piece, then cover-drove him for another four before climbing into Gohar with an authoritative sweep shot.

Leech slog-swept the spinner for six as they lifted Yorkshire up to 450 and maximum batting points, Revis advancing to his fifty from 86 deliveries.

Leech’s fine hand ended when Miles Hammond thrust out his right hand at slip to take an excellent reflex catch off spinner Ollie Price, but Steketee arrived to give further support to Revis, who lofted spinner Graeme van Buuren for six over mid-wicket as he used his prodigious reach and power to fetch a ball from outside off stump.

At lunch, Revis had 94, which might have made for some nervous nibbling and chewing of fingernails.

Then, some 20 minutes after the interval, the magic moment, Revis cover-driving Gohar to the West Stand boundary with a lovely, controlled swing of the bat. The ovation that followed brought a lump to the throat and, for his nearest and dearest no doubt, a tear to the eye.

After the declaration, Gloucestershire dug in. Ben Charlesworth and Chris Dent added 45 for the first wicket before Leech had Dent driving to Adam Lyth at second slip.

Moriarty, bowling in the sort of shades that might have made it difficult even for Sherlock Holmes to deduce his identity, was too great a case study for Grant Roelofsen, whom he trapped lbw on the stroke of tea.

Moriarty claimed his second when Charlesworth was caught at slip by Lyth, then he had van Buuren held behind off an attempted pull.

Lyth produced a beauty to have James Bracey taken at slip by Hill, ending a stand of 96 with Hammond, who carried the fight with a sparkling, unbeaten 84, made from 95 balls with six straight sixes and five fours.