Yorkshire CCC star George Hill to focus on “being boring” rather than any milestone chance

He is one of only five men who have taken over 40 wickets in the top-flight this season, along with Worcestershire’s Tom Taylor (49 from 12 games), Hampshire's Kyle Abbott (46 from 12), Essex’s Jamie Porter (42 from 10), and Somerset’s Jack Leach (41 from 12). Hill has the best average (18.02) of anyone on that list.

Asked whether he has half-an-eye on the prospect at least, Hill said: “I’m actually avidly trying to avoid that.

"I feel like the more I look at it, I think I’ll probably strain a bit too hard rather than do what I’ve been doing all year, which is generally being boring and trying to hit the top of off stump nine times out of ten.

“But it’s still pretty cool to be up there with the likes of Kyle Abbott, who’s a serious bowler, and it would be nice to at least get up to 50 wickets. I certainly didn’t think I’d have anything like this on my radar at the start of the year, to be up there with the likes of those guys, so hopefully it continues.”

Hill, 24, has come on leaps and bounds this season with the ball. He has taken three five-wicket hauls, with a best of 6-51 against Essex at Chelmsford.

“I did well at the start of the year but I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke on bowler-friendly wickets,” he added. “The fact that I’ve been able to get wickets on all types of pitches has been really good and encouraging going forward.

“It’s a confidence thing as much as anything, and I’m feeling really confident at the minute. Hopefully, I can finish the year strongly.”

Hill has generally been first change but stepped up to share the new-ball last week.

With Yorkshire without injured pace pair Ben Coad and Matt Milnes (the latter is set to return at Hove after a groin injury), he opened the bowling against Somerset at Taunton along with Jack White, himself eighth on the wicket-taking list with 36 at 23.75.

“The chance to use the new ball has been good fun,” said Hill. “It sort of adds another string to my bow.

“I’ve always loved bowling, and I’ve enjoyed the responsibility of being able to bowl a lot of overs this year.

"I’ve never bowled as much as I have done this season, but it’s been really good fun and I’m loving it.”

Hill’s efforts have impressed Mick Lewis, the Yorkshire bowling coach, who said: “I’ve worked a fair bit now with George. He’s obviously a highly-skilled player, as they all are, to be fair, and he’s been very good to work with.

“We’ve done a bit of work this year on his angle at the crease when he comes in to bowl, and trying to use the crease a little bit more as well.

“There’s been a few times where he just gets set bowling from the same spot, and it’s just a little reminder of don’t be afraid to use the crease and when he does that he creates a whole different package.”

Lewis continued: “Probably one of my strengths is from a technical point of view, trying to teach these guys to look at certain cues from batters and things like that.

“You get a lot of information from the way they set up, the way they move, about what type of ball you need to be bowling.

“It’s just trying to get that through to them, and teaching them about that side of things has been really enjoyable.”

Yorkshire squad versus Sussex: Bairstow (captain), Agarwal, Bean, Bess, Cliff, Hill, Luxton, Lyth, Milnes, Moriarty, Revis, Thompson, Wharton, White.