Tom Kohler-Cadmore welcomes move to top of Yorkshire CCC batting order

The pair open together in the 50-over Cup and the T20 Blast and will unite at the top of the order in the match against Durham at Chester-le-Street, starting today.

Kohler-Cadmore, 25, has been a middle-order regular since joining from Worcestershire in 2017.

In 40 first-class innings for Yorkshire, which have brought him 1,569 runs at 42.40, Kohler-Cadmore has batted 22 times at No 4, 12 times at No 5, and three times at No 6.

He has only three times opened the batting - twice against Surrey at the Oval in 2017, when he shared in a first innings stand of 162 with the Australian Shaun Marsh, and against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in the final fixture of last season, when he struck 165 not out.

Not since Lyth and Alex Lees were so successful during the mid-2010s have Yorkshire had a consistently prolific opening pair, and Kohler-Cadmore - who opened with Lyth for the first time in first-class cricket in that Warwickshire match last summer - is hoping to nail down his preferred slot in the side.

“If you asked me where I want to bat, it would always be opening,” said Kohler-Cadmore, who spent most of last season at No 4 in the County Championship.

“It’s been something I’ve done ever since I was 14 or 15; I did it in second-team cricket a lot, it’s just not been as much in first-class cricket.

“I think it is my best position, but I just want to be adding value to the team.

“Whether that’s me batting at No 5, No 7, or wherever. I’ll happily do my role.

“I’ve always enjoyed opening because there’s a lot more gaps in the field and you can score fairly quickly, and if they bowl bad for half-an-hour, 40 minutes you can really capitalise and put your team ahead of the game.”

Kohler-Cadmore and Lyth complement each other well, even though both are essentially stylish players who look to attack.

The left-hand, right-hand combination works nicely, as does the fact that the right-handed Kohler-Cadmore is significantly taller than his partner, which means that bowlers have to adjust their lengths and strategies.

“I think we complement each other in the way that we play,” said Kohler-Cadmore.

“The left-hand, right-hand helps and with him being short, he picks up length so well and just capitalises on that.

“Then, when I come on strike, they might still go fuller and give me a couple of drives.

“I feel very comfortable batting with him, and if they bowl us a bad ball, we’re not afraid to try and hit it.”

Kohler-Cadmore and Lyth will be hoping to give their team some strong foundations in the Bob Willis Trophy.

Clubs will need to hit their straps quickly due to the rat-a-tat nature of games.

“Momentum is going to be big with this because it’s going to be a short season now,” said Kohler-Cadmore.

“The games are coming thick and fast, and if you can have a couple of good results early then things can fly and give you confidence.

“It’s literally a free hit; you’re not getting relegated, and there’s no kind of downfall to losing as such.

“I think everyone’s got a chance of winning it because every team has got very good cricketers.”

Fitness will be important – not least for pace bowlers who have been unable to get significant overs into their legs.

Kohler-Cadmore said that his team-mates’ attitude to training had been outstanding during the lockdown.

“The lads have been great in that respect,” he added.

“When everyone came back in (after the lockdown), you didn’t look at anyone and go, ‘Oh, you’ve put on loads of weight’.

“Everyone’s looked after themselves, everyone’s come back in the best possible shape, and I think we’re all in a great place physically.

“Obviously we haven’t been able to do many gym sessions, but the lads have been doing a lot of running and the training that they have been able to do at home, and it’s one of those years where you’re just thankful to be playing.”

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