There is a famous old adage which claims that if you wait ages for a bus, then three come along at once. Well the same can be said about York-based Jonathan Bairstow and first-class centuries.
At the start of this month he had yet to pass the three-figure mark, before he made two in one innings to make 205 against Nottinghamshire.
Now he has a third – after an impressive innings of 136 at Taunton helped the Tykes to a first-innings total of 358 on day one of their LV= County Championship match against Somerset.
“It is really pleasing to have passed three-figures twice in three knocks,” admitted the 21-year-old York-based player.
“After making the score that I did at Trent Bridge, I wanted to get my next hundred as quickly as possible. The pressure was just as great as it was against Nottinghamshire though. I was batting for Yorkshire and this is a massive game, so there is pressure on every ball at this level.”
Bairstow’s innings was undeniably helped by some poor Somerset bowling, a good pitch, and a lightning outfield, but the youngster was in imperious form from the moment he strode to the crease.
The Tykes were on 73-3 at this stage, with Adam Lyth (39), Joe Root (19), and Anthony McGrath (9) all out, before Bairstow got going to lead the recovery.
He did almost chop on to his stumps three times before reaching his half-century, but, having rode his luck early on, his second 50 came in just 53 balls to reach the 100 mark having plundered an astonishing 18 boundaries.
This catapulted Yorkshire to 259-4 by tea, with Bairstow and Gary Ballance then continuing their assault on the home attack during the final session They moved the score on to 305, before the 167-run partnership was broken when Bairstow was bowled by Charl Willoughby as he looked to drive his way to what would have been a 26th four of his knock.
His wicket was the catalyst for a dramatic collapse by the close though, with Adil Rashid being ousted the next ball for a golden duck and Ballance then departing the scene less than four overs later for 61.
The collapse swallowed up Ajmal Shahzad (27), Ryan Sidebottom (5) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (0) as the Tykes lost their last six wickets for only 52 runs.
It meant Yorkshire missed the chance to pick up maximum batting bonus points, and with Taunton normally a batsman’s paradise they may yet be made to pay for their late order disappointment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here