JORDAN THOMPSON currently embodies Yorkshire’s fighting skills, which has not gone unnoticed by coaches and teammates.
The rapidly improving all-rounder from Pudsey St. Lawrence continues to make a significant impact on the White Rose’s fortune.
He was their standout player in last season’s Bob Willis Trophy, scoring 234 runs and picking up 15 wickets from five games – his breakthrough campaign.
This season, after missing the first week with a calf injury, the 24-year-old has built on this form with 12 wickets and 112 runs in three appearances at the LV = Insurance County Championship.
It is no coincidence that the White Rose won everyone. A fourth hit is the goal when Kent visits Emerald Headingley on Thursday.
“Jordan is exactly what I want in a Yorkshire cricketer. When the chips are down, he blows his chest out and gets stuck, ”said coach Andrew Gale.
“That is the reason why I brought him directly to the team.
“We’ve seen a different team since Dave Willey and Tommo came in. You are hitter.
“In that first game against Glamorgan, I thought we were a little nice as a team.
“I think we all know how I played cricket, so I didn’t want us to be nice.
“Of course I don’t want us to cross the line, but I want our opponents to know they have to play Yorkshire. Dom Bess can be a little hot, Dave, Tommo. You play the game hard but fair.
“Jordan didn’t play that much in the grand scheme of things. He only played that one season last year, but he looks like he played 30 or 40 top-notch games. ”
Thompson has captured the new ball in their last two games against Sussex in Hove and Northamptonshire in Headingley.
“I’ll do whatever I need for the team because I just want the best result,” he said. “I’ll get it wrong sometimes, but mostly I hope I get it right.”
Thompson, who was referred to as a Yorkshire Terrier by some media during the Northants game, laughed, “You can call me whatever you want, I don’t mind.
“I have a couple of nicknames in the locker room. I am called “the lizard” quite often. Apparently this has something to do with the length of my tongue. It’s really a lot of rubbish. The guys just like to call me random things. ”
That coziness is put aside against Kent as Yorkshire is looking for a fourth straight win. The English captain Joe Root, who is available again after a week’s break, will help them in this pursuit.
Yorkshire’s three wins and draws in second place in four games are identical to Group three leader Lancashire who picked up six more bonus points.
The aim is to get into the first two places after 10 games in order to qualify for the top group with four games at the end of August and until September and to win the championship title and the Bob Willis Trophy.
With only four games in the second phase, it means you are playing all other than the team you advanced with.
Right now that would be Lancashire, considering Yorkshire is currently 25 points ahead of Sussex in third place.
Kent is bottom of the group three after losing three and drawing one. You were beaten by Glamorgan within two days of last week.