Lyth and Rashid lay down claim for winter tour

Last year, Lyth played just four County Championship games as Michael Vaughan was given almost as many chances as he scored runs in an effort to play his way back into England contention.

Now Vaughan's day has gone and Lyth has become an integral member of the Yorkshire team, scoring 1,338 Championship runs this summer at 55.75.

That progress was acknowledged yesterday by the award of his county cap, which he celebrated with an innings of 63 as the match against Hampshire finally got going after the opening day fell foul of the weather.

As Yorkshire totalled 322-9 declared after being sent into bat, a combative effort in challenging conditions, Lyth stroked his ninth half-century of the summer to go with three hundreds.

It was, perhaps, not his most aesthetically pleasing performance; Lyth had to work hard for his runs as the bowlers generated movement and lift.

But the 22-year-old left-hander did what every quality opening batsman should: he played with his hands close to his body and left the ball with consummate skill, patiently waiting for scoring opportunities.

In addition to furthering Yorkshire's cause, Lyth's innings was another forceful nudge in the direction of England selector James Whitaker, who watched with growing admiration as the player pressed his claims for a winter tour place.

Whitaker was also impressed with the contribution of Yorkshire all-rounder Adil Rashid, who top-scored with 76 – his highest innings of the summer and sixth half-century – to enhance his own international aspirations.

Rashid could hardly have done more this year than score 679 Championship runs at 52.23 and take 50 wickets at 29.96, and this was another impressive effort from a man who is steadily growing in stature.

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of professional cricket, believes Rashid is the "obvious choice" as second spinner to Graeme Swann for the Ashes tour, and surely only a particularly partisan member of the James Tredwell/Monty Panesar clan would disagree.

When one considers Rashid has a first-class batting average of just under 40, the temptation for England to take him to Australia must be growing by the day.

One man who most definitely will not be going to Australia (at least not in a playing capacity) is Dominic Cork, the Hampshire captain who dismissed Lyth on his way to 5-64 from 23 overs.

In the month he turned 39 years young, Cork proved there is life in the old dog yet as he almost single-handedly kept Hampshire in contention.

After the home side lost only one wicket during the morning session, Jacques Rudolph caught behind for 34 off David Balcombe, Cork triggered a collapse as Yorkshire slipped from 126-1 to 141-5.

Cork claimed three of those wickets by having Lyth and Anthony McGrath caught behind and Jonathan Bairstow leg before.

James Tomlinson chipped in by having Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale held at second slip as Hampshire, at one stage, seized control.

But just when it appeared Lyth's hard work might go to waste, Rashid and Gerard Brophy combined in a sixth-wicket stand of 111 in 26 overs that cheered a sun-kissed crowd of around 3,000.

Brophy, whose service to the club has been rewarded with a benefit next year, scored a fluent 44 before slashing Cork to wide gully.

Rashid, all wristy flicks and silky improvisation, strove to attack at every opportunity and was within range of a fifth first-class hundred when he was trapped lbw by Sean Ervine to a ball that kept low.

Cork's never-say-die attitude was rewarded with a fifth wicket when he had Tim Bresnan caught behind, Bresnan leaving North Marine Road last night to join England ahead of tomorrow's final Test against Pakistan at Lord's.

Richard Pyrah will take Bresnan's place for the rest of this match, but it surely cannot be acceptable that a player is permitted to leave a Championship game halfway through and is something the England and Wales Cricket Board need to address.

After Balcombe had Steve Patterson caught in the gully, Yorkshire declared to give themselves three overs to find a breakthrough.

It did not happen as Hampshire closed on 8-0, but there is still potential for a result provided the dreaded weather does not intervene further.