Disappointed Lees sets high bar

So great has been the praise bestowed on Yorkshire's academy recently that one is almost surprised to discover that Plato is not in charge of the place. Not only did Headingley's finishing school supply many of the players that secured the title last September, it often seems to be mentioned whenever England's progress is discussed.

Some White Rose Academicians are already representing England in the West Indies while a few others, so the forthright argument holds, should be doing so. On the other hand, graduates like Adil Rashid should be back in England playing for Yorkshire, although those selectors could do far worse than open with that Alex Lees.

All of which brings us to a warm afternoon in early spring at Trent Bridge, the trees still seasonally skeletal in Fox Road but the views across West Bridgford to Edwalton as crystal as could be wished. More particularly, it brings us to the century scored by the 22-year-old Lees, the seventh of his first-class career, and one which provided the backbone for Yorkshire's reply.

Lees is a most distinguished former member of the academy, directed by Ian Dews, and many predict a fine future for him, particularly if his development is not rushed. And on the evidence provided by Monday's cricket, the Yorkshire opener, while plainly a very fine young player indeed, is not yet the finished product.

On the credit side one can point to the fact that Lees has passed at least fifty in each of his three County Championship innings this season. This latest effort was a monument to his concentration as he dug in for 271 minutes to help Yorkshire reach 226 for 3 at stumps, a more than solid foundation for the second half of the game.

Just as valuably, one can identify Lees' secure defensive technique and the ability to capitalise upon the bad ball. There were periods in the afternoon session of the second day's play when he and his second-wicket partner, Cheteshwar Pujara, simply had to defend their wickets against an accurate Nottinghamshire attack which had already dismissed 20-year-old Will Rhodes, another Academy lad, who edged Harry Gurney when he had made 41 out of an opening stand of 66.

For the most part Lees batted with polished ease against Chris Read's seamers and did not lose anything in comparison to the India Test cricketer with whom he was batting. His successive fours off Gurney, a cover drive and a clip square on the leg side, were lovely example of chanceless attack and they were warmly appreciated by a crowd that knows its cricket.

Indeed, at one stage of the evening session, as their assurance grew and chances were dropped, it seemed that Lees and Pujara would take their side to stumps. In nine overs, though, both were gone. First Pujara, having reached his first half-century for Yorkshire with a glorious on-drive and a crisp late cut off Patel, made to punch the slow left-armer through the leg side but only gave a catch to substitute fielder Ben Kitt at midwicket. "We needed a break," said a low wit, "and we got a Kitt catch."

Seemingly undaunted by Pujara's dismissal for 57 on 178, Lees added a further 37 with Andrew Gale, who was playing his first match after serving a two-game suspension. And the captain congratulated his young partner when he reached three figures with a cut for three off Patel. He would, however, have been less than pleased to see Lees play the loosest of cuts to the next ball he received and edge a catch to Read, thus giving Will Gidman his first Championship wicket for his new county. It was left to Gale and Jack Leaning, another of Dews' boys, to see their side to the close.

"With Adam Lyth not there and the other guys missing in the West Indies someone needed to stand up and although I am still relatively inexperienced, I am trying to take a bit of that pressure by being as consistent as possible," Lees said, before conceding his culpability.

"I got out to short wide ball and I thought I did half a job out there but we're in a decent position and hopefully the other lads can carry on from the good start."

Yorkshire supporters should be encouraged both by Lees' talent and by his disappointment. He had been dropped twice in getting to three figures and he seems a fine example of a Test cricketer in the making. At times he looks like an old pro.

Certainly there could be few better places to watch young players learn their trade than Trent Bridge. Nottinghamshire's home has achieved a remarkable feat and one that may be unique among homes of English cricket: it possesses the grand facilities of a Test venue; it evinces warm local pride in the style of a county headquarters; and it has the easy informality of a club ground.

To walk round the pavilion, its walls covered with photographs of Nottinghamshire cricketers and at least one of its ceilings decorated with pennants, is to experience the English game at its very best. And to watch the game from the Radcliffe Road Stand, as very many spectators were doing on the evening of the second day, is a comparably rich experience.

Here's the thing, though. A group of those spectators were schoolboys and they were watching Lees bat in four-day county cricket while they discussed the possible composition of England's team for the Test in Grenada.