Jonny Bairstow is continuing to put his name in the mind of England selectors, with Thursday seeing him pull off a stunning catch in Yorkshire's clash with Glamorgan.
The 33-year-old has steadily been making his comeback from suffering a broken leg in a freak accident while playing golf back in September. He started as wicketkeeper in Yorkshire's County Championship Division 2 visit from Glamorgan.
He made three catches in total to help Yorkshire hold Glamorgan to a first innings total of 245-all out. Bairstow's first catch was a simple one to send David Lloyd back to the pavillion after just four balls, but it was his second that really caught the eye.
George Hill bowled to Kiran Carlson, with the Welsh batter sending the ball towards the left of Bairstow, standing well behind the wicket. The Englishman showed impressive reactions to dive to his left and catch Carlson out.
Bairstow later ended Marnus Labuschagne's stand with another simple catch, with the Yorkshire keeper putting himself in the mind of the England selectors. Brendan McCullum's side play Ireland on 1 June before the men's Ashes series begins against Australia on 16 June.
Following his injury, Bairstow was replaced by Yorkshire teammate Harry Brook in the batting order, with the 24-year-old scoring a stack of runs to cement his place in the side.
Some have speculated Bairstow's best route back into the England team may be with the gloves and to bat down the order, replacing specialist wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
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Foakes, who features for Surrey at county level, has earned 20 England Test caps so far during his career. But England may be tempted to recall Bairstow given his stunning form before his injury.
Last June, he was awarded man of the match in the second Test against New Zealand having hit the second-fastest century by and English batter. He scored 162 in the following Test, before adding two more centuries in the series against India.
He had been a key part of Ben Stokes ' new attacking approach, being named the Professional Cricketers' Association Men's Cricketer of the Year and being included in the ICC'S Test Team of the Year.
Bairstow's three-catch day on Thursday comes after he scored 97 for Yorkshire's second XI against Nottingham last week, in his first game back from his broken leg. He struck 13 fours and two sixes off 88 balls to prove he is back to full fitness, though Foakes is not worried.
"I'm happy with the way things have gone for me. So it is a bit unique to be asked about that [his place]. But I can't remember a time when I haven't been asked that stuff to be honest with you, since I started playing," he said last month.
"It is just something I obviously put up with but it is only really times like this where you hear it. Within the camp there is no chat about any selections, whoever it might be at any stage, so it is more just stuff like this."
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