Ever since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, two years ago this week, England have been searching for a reliable opening partner for Alastair Cook. Nick Compton, Joe Root, Michael Carberry and Sam Robson have taken their turns, none of them convincing in the role, and yesterday Adam Lyth offered compelling evidence that he should be the next in line if Robson is replaced when England next play a Test, away to West Indies in April.
Lyth, the left-hander from Whitby, batted all day to finish unbeaten on 182, his fifth century of the season in the LV= County Championship, and his tally of 1,367 first-class runs is the highest in the country. His personal ambitions and Yorkshire’s hopes of winning the championship are entirely compatible and both causes were advanced yesterday.
For some time, Lyth has been recognised as one of the most handsome stroke-makers in county cricket, but now a healthy degree of substance has been added to the style. His method is orthodox and uncomplicated, his left elbow high and his timing crisp. He began with a lovely straight drive off Tom Bailey yesterday morning and went on to reach his century from 213 balls. By the time he worked Steven Croft’s off spin through wide mid-on, a 17th four to go with one six, he had put Yorkshire into a powerful position against Lancashire’s injury-hit attack. Jonny Bairstow’s brisk 60 helped Lyth to add 103 for the fourth wicket and his sixth-wicket stand with Adil Rashid is already worth 115.
As he removed his helmet to take the acclaim of team-mates and spectators, sweat glistening on his bald pate, Lyth wore the broad grin of a man finally fulfilling his talent. He has shimmered briefly before, not least in making 1,509 first-class runs in 2010, but he has not attracted the selectors’ favour since his appearances for England Lions the following winter.
“I think he’s ready now,” Jason Gillespie, the Yorkshire head coach, said last night. “What he’s shown this year is the ability to adapt to different situations, whether the conditions dictate that he needs to knuckle down and grind it out. He did a fair bit of that today. If the England selectors come knocking, he won’t let them down. He’s good enough and he can’t be ignored for ever.”
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Lyth turns 27 this month and he attributes his enhanced powers of concentration to a repetitive golf exercise devised by Simon Hartley, Yorkshire’s sports psychologist.
Hartley encouraged Lyth to hole as many consecutive two-foot putts as possible. While professional golfers often falter between 50 and 100, Lyth holed a remarkable 213 balls. And another double century could follow this morning.