Jonny Bairstow may have been given a new role at the top of Yorkshire’s order in limited overs cricket – but the England Lions ace is determined to ensure his philosophy on batting remains the same.

The 21-year-old says there is no question this summer has heralded the best form of his career, especially in the County Championship, where he has scored a double hundred and a century.

His fluency in the middle order against the red ball convinced Andrew Gale and Martyn Moxon to utilise him as early as possible against the white ball.

And, although he has not yet fired in two 40-over and two Twenty20 clashes, there are signs a big score could be just around the corner.

He hit 31 off 24 balls in the most recent Friends Life t20 defeat against Nottinghamshire, and will open in tonight’s vital 20-over clash with weak Worcestershire at Headingley.

The York star said: “I have really enjoyed opening so far, and it’s a slightly different game at the top of the order.

“But all I am planning on doing is taking it one ball at a time, doing the same things that have seen me get my runs in four-day cricket.”

Bairstow has scored 749 runs from seven Championship matches, including the first two three-figure scores of his career.

It is form that has even led some to call for his inclusion in England’s one-day international squad for the series against Sri Lanka later this month.

“I am feeling in good touch at the moment, and hopefully I can transfer that into this format as well,” he commented.

There is no disgrace in losing against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire, who finished as the top two teams in last season’s North Division.

But defeat against Worcester tonight, who Yorkshire hammered in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition at New Road last month, would be a bitter pill to swallow ahead of tomorrow’s Roses clash with high-flying Lancashire at Old Trafford.

“The performance in our first two games hasn’t been where we want it to be,” continued Bairstow. “But we move forward, and we’re looking forward to this double header coming up.

“Lancashire is obviously a great game to be involved in, but it’s a really important match with Worcester first.

“These two fixtures are vital for us in terms of getting back on track.

“We know that we’re going to come back strong. We’ve shown before that when our backs are against the wall, we come out and front up.”

Yorkshire will again be without fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered during the Championship match against Sussex last week.

Shahzad is targeting a return to fitness in time for Lancashire’s visit to Headingley next Friday, with the Championship match against Durham at the Riverside starting the following day.

Tim Bresnan, meanwhile has taken to the golf course as part of his recovery from a torn right calf. He has been advised to do lots of walking.