Yorkshire v Lancashire: England competition spurs on Bairstow and Root

Root, who returned to Yorkshire action yesterday after a dream winter in which he represented England in all three forms of the game, said the pair bounce off each other as they strive to become international regulars.

The Yorkshire batsmen have effectively been competing for one place in the England middle order for much of the winter, with Bairstow getting the nod for the second Test against India in Mumbai in November before Root was chosen in preference for the final match of the series in Nagpur.

Root kept his place for all three Tests against New Zealand, while both played in the final match at Auckland after Bairstow was recalled for the injured Kevin Pietersen.

With Pietersen’s knee injury having also ruled him out of the forthcoming two-Test series at home to New Zealand, Root and Bairstow are hoping to match up once more in the England middle-order.

Root, who scored 11 yesterday on day two of the three-day friendly against Lancashire at Headingley, is in pole position to play against the Kiwis in the first Test at Lord’s on May 16.

Bairstow furthered his own chances of playing in that game with an innings of 131 yesterday as Yorkshire scored 381-8 after Lancashire declared on their overnight 269-7.

Root believes the competition between them is greatly beneficial.

“There’s a friendly rivalry between us,” said Root, who was caught behind off pace bowler Kyle Hogg in typically challenging April conditions.

“I think you need that to keep pushing yourself and to keep improving, and it’s great if you’ve got one of your mates with you as well and you can keep bouncing off each other and wanting each other to do well.

“Jonny has been very good with that for me over the winter and it was very pleasing for me to see him score runs in this match.

“Hopefully we can have a good summer for Yorkshire and, potentially, England as well.”

Pietersen’s injury means several players have an opportunity to impress the selectors before the opening Test.

Neither Root nor Bairstow are taking anything for granted, however, ahead of a mouth-watering summer of international cricket.

“It was a great experience to play for England with Jonny over the winter but we both know there’s a hell of a lot of cricket to be played between now and that first Test match,” added Root.

“There’s a lot of good players around the circuit who will be putting their names forward and we’ve just got to concentrate on trying to win games for Yorkshire and scoring as many runs as possible.

“Obviously, it’s a massive blow when someone of Kev’s class is not going to be about, but it does give an opportunity for players such as Jonny and myself to put our names forward.

“We can only do our best and I’m sure that the selectors will be looking around to see who’s performing.”

Root, delighted to be back with his Yorkshire colleagues after being made available to play in the next three County Championship games, believes Bairstow will bounce back strongly after a difficult winter.

Bairstow has found himself in and out of the England side but is clearly a player of exceptional pedigree.

“Jonny’s had quite a tough year but he’s a very strong character and I know how good he is,” said Root.

“He knows how good he is and hopefully this year he can show the rest of the world how good he is as well.

“His knock in this match was brilliant and he’s not done himself any harm going into the start of the summer.

“Jonny is an extremely talented cricketer.”

International recognition has come quickly for Root, who admitted he would never have dreamt this time last year that his career would take off in such rapid fashion.

With his stylish batting and excellent temperament, he has proved himself an extremely talented cricketer in his own right.

“I wouldn’t have expected what’s happened to have happened so quickly, especially in the last six months,” he added.

“It’s obviously been very pleasing and great to be a part of, and now it’s just made me hungrier to be involved in it a bit more.

“I was pretty pleased with how I performed in the winter but, obviously, you’ve never scored enough runs and you always want more.

“But it’s been great, really enjoyable, and the England lads have been fantastic and very welcoming, which has made everything a lot easier.”

While Root re-adjusts to English conditions, Bairstow looked back to his best yesterday as he performed with the air of a man undertaking nothing more strenuous than a knock-about in the back garden.

Bairstow faced 159 balls and struck 21 fours and a six before he was retired out in what is a glorified practice game.

Adil Rashid was also retired out after scoring 103 from 144 balls with 13 fours and three sixes, his innings a timely reminder of his talent as a batsman.

Bairstow and Rashid added 184 after Yorkshire slipped to 106-5, Tim Bresnan building on their work with an unbeaten 46.

Graeme Smith spent his first day as Surrey captain watching South Africa team-mate Alviro Petersen hit a fine century for opponents Somerset.

Proteas skipper Smith is the marquee signing of the county season but it was Petersen who stole the headlines on day one of the LV= County Championship Division One clash at the Oval.

He made 167, with 19 fours and a six, to propel his side to 348-8 – with Craig Kieswetter’s 43 the next best effort.

At Edgbaston, reigning champions Warwickshire reached 299-7 against Durham.

Bears skipper Jim Troughton top-scored with 84.

Pakistan pair lose ban appeal

Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have lost their appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over bans handed down for spot-fixing.

The International Cricket Council banned Butt for 10 years, with five suspended, and Asif for seven years, with two suspended, for their role in the spot-fixing scandal that also involved team-mate Mohammad Amir.

The 28-year-old Butt was named as the orchestrator of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s Test against England in 2010, with Asif and Amir the men who delivered them.

Leicestershire’s decision to bowl first backfired as Kent racked up 406 all out on the first day of their County Championship Division Two match at Grace Road.