It was 5.05pm on Saturday and you can bet that the fish fryers in Whitby were cheering for one of their most memorable batters. Adam Lyth, who hails from the seaside port that sits 20 miles along the North York Moors heritage coast from Scarborough, had just slog-swept his 188th delivery over midwicket for four off the bowling of spinner Mark Craig to register a maiden Test century in his third innings.
Headingley rose to its feet, with the club greats Geoffrey Boycott, Raymond Illingworth, Brian Close, John Hampshire and Dickie Bird in attendance – along with present-day title winners Tim Bresnan and Jack Brooks – to watch the opening batsman they affectionately know as Budgie make his mark at international level.
In the White Rose Stand – where the old Western Terrace once used to throb – a mixture of Bavarians, Mexicans, Bananas and Muppets briefly lowered the lager from their lips to roar for one of their own, rather than themselves, as he embraced his team-mate Gary Ballance in celebration. The helmet came off, the smile beamed and a dream was realised.
While his wife, Elizabeth, was supporting from the football stand, babysitting duties meant his parents, Christine and Alistair, could not watch first-hand. The latter introduced Lyth to the sport at Whitby Cricket Club, while the former used to hone his talents with throwdowns on the boundary rope. He has now repaid both for their own hours of sacrifices in supporting this journey from the Turnbull Ground.
But this innings came down to Lyth and an 18-month hot streak with his 1,498 runs setting up Yorkshire’s first title win in 13 years last season. That brought a landslide of personal awards and led to his call-up for the Caribbean tour in April, where he waited patiently in the wings as England’s experiment with Jonathan Trott was tried and failed.
It was not always so easy. After a breakthrough season in 2010, when 1,509 first-class runs flowed, the returns had begun to dry up. The Yorkshire sports psychologist, Simon Hartley, hatched a plan in which Lyth’s passion for golf was harnessed in order to solve the concentration problems that had crept into his game. The challenge was set to sink as many two-foot putts in a row, recording a personal best of 213 consecutive successes as a lesson on staying focused was learned. But with the bat, Lyth is no obdurate Yorkshireman, displaying a full range of shots on the way to 107.
The first of his 15 fours was a neat push through cover off the left-arm seamer Trent Boult. The seventh brought up his first Test half-century from 112 balls as Matt Henry was fruitily pulled over long leg. The pick of them all was a simple display of timing as Boult over-pitched and the ball was pushed straight back past him.
There were hairy moments, too, for the least hirsute of the England team. In the 58th over, with 90 to his name and 177 runs on the board, the reason why Lyth’s trial with Manchester City went no further became apparent as a sharp delivery from Tim Southee was chopped on to the stumps via pad. Lyth’s attempted drag back met only fresh air but thankfully the gods were smiling on him.
On 94, after his ground record opening stand of 177 with Alastair Cook had been ended, there was a similar heart-in-mouth moment when the substitute fielder, Neil Wagner, misjudged a drive that went over his head; it should have been the simplest of catches.
Two deliveries later came the moment as Craig was dispatched to the boundary and Headingley – the Boycotts and the Honey Monsters – stood to applaud. While the run-out that ended his 294 minutes at the crease is another lesson learned, and he was already inked in for the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on 8 July, he can now go into the series with any lingering doubts dispelled. He knows he can do it.
- This article was amended on 31 May 2015. The original version gave Simon Hartley’s first name as Scott.
