Work on Pyrah’s technique to keep him afire for Yorkshire (From York Press)

Work on Pyrah’s technique to keep him afire for Yorkshire

10:49am Saturday 14th January 2012 in Yorkshire County Cricket Club By Graham Hardcastle

There will not be too many cricketers around who have scored a brilliant hundred and immediately been demoted to number 11 in the batting order.

But Yorkshire all-rounder Rich Pyrah is one of them after his maiden ton in last season’s Roses Championship match at Headingley.

Pyrah flayed the Lancashire attack to all parts in a desperate bid to get his side back into a contest in which they were always behind the eight-ball before being pushed down from number nine in the second innings.

The batting order was reshuffled due to Tim Bresnan’s return from England duty and Ryan Sidebottom’s employment as a night-watchman late on day three.

Now the 29-year-old, who scored 117 off 126 balls in that famous knock, is hoping to make sure the chances of him ever being employed as a number 11 again are limited as he looks to take his game to the next level.

Pyrah was one of Yorkshire’s shining lights last summer, especially with the ball as he took 29 Championship wickets and Yorkshire’s first ever five-wicket haul in Twenty20 cricket.

He had worked hard on his bowling in the nets last winter, generating that extra yard of pace that troubled many a batsman.

But this winter it is his batting that is getting a little bit more attention as he looks to better a haul of 531 runs in all competitions.

“There were some things I did technically last year that worked for me, particularly bowling-wise,” he said.

“Batting-wise, I want to try and push myself up the order a bit, which I think I’m capable of doing. I had a couple of good knocks last year in the Championship, and I’ll be working hard to try and repeat that.

“Last year was really big for me. I’ve been targeting performances in all forms of the game for a quite a while, which happened for me.

“In some ways, this coming summer is even bigger for me because I’ve got to do it all over again.

“I want to carry it on now and really nail that Championship spot that I got hold of last year, that’s my main aim next season.”

Pyrah is big mates with Bresnan, who was actually at the crease when that Roses ton was secured.

And the Dewsbury-born player sees no reason why he cannot be playing alongside his fellow all-rounder in an England shirt in the not too distant future.

He added: “Now I’m getting runs and wickets, there’s no reason why I can’t break into the international scene if I have another big year.”