On the opening day of their County Championship promotion clash at Headingley, Yorkshire took control against Middlesex, largely thanks to Jonny Bairstow's unbeaten 107—his first century in over two years.
Bairstow, 34, had recently been dropped from all England squads due to a dip in form, but his resilient 107 not out from 130 balls reminded everyone of his undeniable talent. His innings anchored Yorkshire’s total of 372-5 from 96 overs, supported by Adam Lyth and George Hill, both of whom contributed half-centuries. Luke Hollman was the standout bowler for Middlesex, taking 3-99 with his leg-spin.
Yorkshire entered this match, the 11th of 14 in Division Two, in third place, just three points behind second-placed Middlesex. Both teams were coming off victories from their previous matches. Middlesex, having won the reverse fixture at Lord’s in April, knew that another win here would strengthen their position in the race for promotion. However, they now face a challenging task.
Bairstow has always been known for rising to the occasion when he has something to prove, and having been sidelined by England, he was determined to make a statement. This century was also his first for Yorkshire in first-class cricket since May 2016.
Yorkshire started strongly, putting Middlesex’s bowlers, including debutant Noah Cornwell and Toby Roland-Jones, under pressure early on. Lyth and Fin Bean shared an opening partnership of 68 inside 16 overs, regularly finding the boundary. Bean, who scored 27, was bowled by Henry Brookes while attempting a pull shot. Lyth reached his fifty off 56 balls before being dismissed for 61, trapped lbw by Hollman.
The pitch, despite being used during The Hundred, proved to be a good one for batting. After lunch, Luxton and Wharton took on Hollman, each hitting sixes, but Middlesex tightened their bowling with the older Kookaburra ball. This led to Hollman removing Wharton for 40, caught at slip while trying to cut, and then dismissing Luxton, who was caught at short midwicket for 26. Yorkshire found themselves at 185-4 in the 52nd over after a partnership of 67 for the third wicket.
Bairstow and captain Jonny Tattersall then formed Yorkshire’s third half-century partnership, taking the team to 240-4 by tea. Bairstow’s innings was more measured than explosive, with less than half of his runs coming from boundaries. However, he did strike a six off Brookes, pulling the ball into the Western Terrace.
The partnership with Tattersall, worth 57, ended early in the evening session when Tattersall top-edged a sweep and was caught for 26. Bairstow continued to build on his fifty, sharing another half-century stand with George Hill. Hill, who has also struggled with form recently, looked solid, reaching 58 not out. The pair added an unbroken 130 runs, with Bairstow reaching his century off 122 balls and celebrating with a bow to the home dressing room.