Miles Hammond ends day two 84* but Glos trail Yorkshire by 318 runs
26 June 2023
Matthew Revis became the third Yorkshire up and comer to post a century in their dominant first-innings 550 for nine declared against Gloucestershire at Headingley as the county went on the hunt for a second successive LV= Insurance County Championship victory.
Revis, aged 21, advanced from 25 not out at the start of day two to an unbeaten 104 off 163 balls, backing up the centuries opener Fin Bean and fellow all-rounder George Hill had scored on day one.
Yorkshire declared in the first half of the afternoon before an action-packed Gloucestershire reply of 232 for five from 57 overs saw Miles Hammond breeze to an entertaining 84 not out off 95 balls.
Fledgling home fast bowler Dom Leech had a good day. He hit a career best 32 down the order before claiming his maiden Championship wicket in his second appearance added to four Bob Willis Trophy wickets in 2020.
Surrey loanee left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty also claimed three for 79 from 20 overs for the hosts, although he conceded five sixes as Hammond attacked from 125 for four.
Left-arm quick Matt Taylor was Gloucestershire’s standout performer with the ball, returning four for 70.
Just under four years ago, when only 17, Revis debuted as an opening batter in a season-ending Championship defeat against Kent here.
Since then, he has developed into an all-rounder used more as a seam bowler. But his talent with the willow has always been evident.
He has previously scored first-team fifties against both the red and white ball, but this was unquestionably the Sedbergh School graduate’s breakthrough innings.
Of course, it has been a big couple of weeks for Sedbergh School. Last week, their current women’s star Mahika Gaur of Thunder made her England A debut, while Hill and Revis are former pupils. Another alumni Harry Brook, meanwhile, is carrying the hopes of a nation in the Ashes.
Revis slog-swept his only six, added to 10 boundaries, and was particularly strong through the covers.
But he was forced into a nervous pursuit of the four remaining runs to reach his century when Australian overseas seamer Mark Steketee was stumped off Zafar Gohar’s left-arm spin.
With the help of last man Moriarty, they came in singles and a cover driven boundary almost immediately before the declaration.
Revis and aforementioned fellow Sedberghians Hill and Brook are Yorkshire through and through.
One man who isn’t but made a noteworthy day two impact was Surrey squad man Moriarty.
His move to Yorkshire on a four-game Championship loan spell caught the eye over the weekend given the fact he was replacing off-spinner Dom Bess, he of 14 England Test caps.
Bess hasn’t been at the races consistently in the Championship this season, and Yorkshire's management have opted to look at another option.
And it was a decision which reaped rewards in the form of a trio of wickets either side of tea.
But Moriarty did get lofted down the ground for five sixes - four from left-handed Hammond - having started with three maidens in his first four overs.
He has only played two Championship matches for Surrey since the start of last season but was quickly into the wickets.
After Leech broke through to get Chris Dent caught in the slips driving for 34, Moriarty trapped South African overseas Grant Roelofsen lbw pushing forwards with what proved the last ball of the afternoon - 80 for two in the 22nd over.
Moriarty later had Ben Charlesworth caught at slip for 35 driving and captain Graeme van Buuren caught behind pulling. The Charlesworth dismissal was queried for a bump ball, but Gloucestershire were 125 for four in the 32nd over.
Though things changed, and pretty quickly too as excellent Hammond took the game on and gained far from sluggish support from wicketkeeper James Bracey.
Hammond reached his fifty off 60 balls and shared 96 for the fifth wicket with Bracey, whose 44 was ended when he edged Adam Lyth’s off-spin to slip, leaving the score at 221 for five in the 50th over.
This was part-timer Lyth’s first bowl of the season.
