Rudolph backs team-mate Bairstow for England graduation

JACQUES RUDOLPH believes Yorkshire team-mate Jonathan Bairstow has the potential to play for England within the next two to three years.

The Bradford-born 20-year-old is in his first full season with the White Rose first team but has already become a key member of the side.

He has featured in all 11 County Championship games this year and he missed just one of the 16 outings in the Friends Provident Twenty20 Cup.

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An illustration of the important role Bairstow, son of the late Yorkshire cricket legend David, has played this term is that he scored important half-centuries in three of the county's four Championship wins.

His 62 runs from 66 balls in the second innings at Essex last Friday also came within a whisker of helping Yorkshire achieve the third biggest successful run-chase in their history to leave Rudolph predicting a bright future for his team-mate.

The South African said: "Jonathan is doing brilliantly well and is definitely someone who is performing for the team. I do think he will play for England in the next two or three years.

"He is a real impact player and someone who can take the game away from the opposition. It is his first full season but he is a great prospect for the future, and a wicketkeeper as well.

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"Jonathan is a massive talent and, hopefully, he can keep doing what he has been doing."

On the fine innings that came so close to sealing a fifth Championship win of the season at Chelmsford last Friday, vice-captain Rudolph added: "It was a pity he got out when he did because if he had stayed in, I feel we would have won."

Bairstow's Championship debut came in June last year against Somerset at Headingley Carnegie when he hit 82 as the visitors won by four wickets.

He went on to score 592 runs in 12 Championship games at an average of 45.53 and took 21 catches, both in the field or when behind the stumps.

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Unsurprisingly considering the high esteem his late father is held in by Yorkshire members, Bairstow proved an instantly popular figure on his promotion to the first team. He has continued to develop and helped transform Yorkshire from seemingly perennial relegation-fighters in the Championship to title challengers.

In the four-day format, he sits fourth in the county's batting averages with 608 runs at 43.42.

He has hit five half-centuries with his second innings 81 in the opening game of the season against Warwickshire at Edgbaston being his highest score.