In among all the angst, anger and disappointment sport can bring, sometimes it throws up a bit of romance. This was the case at Hove as Michael Yardy scored his 23rd first-class century on his final appearance at his home ground before he retires at the end of the season.
Very often long careers end with more of a whimper than a flourish – even Don Bradman messed up his final innings – but since announcing his retirement Yardy has scored two championship centuries at the ground he has called home for the past 15 years and when he finishes after next week’s match it will be with almost 200 first-class matches to his name and more than 10,000 runs.
The 34-year-old’s career has been punctuated by some well-documented problems that effectively ended his international career, when he flew home from the 2011 World Cup three days before the quarter-finals suffering with clinical depression. He played 28 ODIs and 14 T20s for England between 2006 and 2011 and one of his fondest memories was being part of England’s World T20-winning squad in 2010.
This was a typical Yardy century combining dogged determination with crunching drives, well-timed sweeps and delicate dabs. Not only did this innings provide a heartwarming story, it was a hugely important one for his county given the situation they had found themselves in – 223 runs were added to the score during the time he was in the middle. He certainly does not look ready to retire to one of Hove’s famous blue-and-white deckchairs.
There is affection for Yardy across the county circuit and the Hove crowd rose as one with a cheer as he clipped a four to bring up three figures. His Sussex helmet was removed and he kissed the badge, raised his arms aloft and received a warm embrace from his partner, Chris Jordan, and was applauded by all the Somerset players.
From a Somerset perspective it all worked out well: Yardy reached his century – one that in the circumstances they could not begrudge him – and then was out two balls later, caught at fine leg by James Hildreth. With rain forecast for much of Wednesday for the rest of this match he may well not get a chance to bat in the second innings and this may have been Hove’s last chance to see him bat in a Sussex shirt.
“I was nervous – really nervous because it was a real goal after being 60 not out last night but it was good because it went quickly,” Yardy said. “I was a bit emotional out there because I have played here all my life since the age of 11, even during that time I watched the guys play here and it was always something I aspired to as a young kid to play for my home county. It is a bit sad it is coming to an end but it was nice to finish in a good way here.”
Earlier in the day Ashar Zaidi was dismissed for an excellent 91, an innings that has perhaps earned him a new contract, and Sussex were bowled out early in the afternoon but not before Jordan had given his side all-important maximum batting points with a six down towards to the sea. The final four Sussex batsmen put on 238 – Somerset guilty of letting Sussex off the hook with a lack of discipline with the ball and struggling without Craig Overton, who was off the field with a hand injury.
Somerset, with one eye on the weather, began their reply briskly but it was Jordan, who has been called up to England’s T20 squad for this winter’s tour to the UAE, who made the first breakthrough, getting the usually impeccably footed Tom Abell in a tangle. The ever-reliable Steve Magoffin got the wicket of Tom Cooper, with a thick inside edge to Jordan. Rain prematurely ended the day with Somerset 114 for two.
