JACK LEANING’S second LV= County Championship century yesterday helped Yorkshire into a strong position on day one against Somerset at Taunton and topped off a memorable week for his family.
Leaning hit 123 off 243 balls to underpin the champions’ healthy 343-8 from 95.2 overs after being inserted on a tacky pitch offering some assistance for the bowlers, according to the 21-year-old.
And it came less than a week after his father Andy was appointed as York City’s new goalkeeping coach.
Leaning junior, in his second full season of first-team cricket, was born in this part of the world - just up the M5 in Bristol - during his old man’s days as a keeper with Bristol City.
Neither of his parents were present at Taunton yesterday to see him hit 18 fours and share in crucial partnerships of 93 for the fourth wicket with Jonny Bairstow and 117 for the seventh with Tim Bresnan, who both made fifties.
"I'm feeling in good nick at the moment, so it's nice to get a good start and capitalise on that," said Leaning, who scored a hundred against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge last month.
“They bowled really well in the morning and into lunch-time, but whenever Jonny comes to the crease, he brings a bit of impetus with him. He's a very positive player, and that rubbed off on me as well.
"Same with Brezzy, he's in good touch, and I enjoy batting with him.”
Although Leaning played some eye-catching shots, particularly through the off-side, this was not an aggressive innings.
He took his time to settle at the crease, and he also had to navigate Yorkshire through periods of danger, most notably a nine-over spell either side of tea when they slipped from 211-3 after 60 overs to 225-6 in the 69th.
They lost aggressive Bairstow for 50 off 59 balls and four-day debutant Glenn Maxwell for a duck in the space of three balls and then Adil Rashid - the first two to Craig Overton.
Bairstow was caught at second slip the ball after reaching fifty and Maxwell was caught at cover. After tea and then a near half-hour rain break, Rashid was bowled by Alfonso Thomas.
Bairstow and Leaning hit six fours in an eight-ball spell in the 52nd and 53rd overs. Bairstow took four off Peter Trego and Leaning two off Jamie Overton to reach 50 off 112 balls.
He later brought up his second hundred of the summer off 192 with 15 fours.
Bresnan, who closed on 54 not out off 76, hit the only six of the day by clipping Craig Overton over mid-wicket.
Unfortunately, though, he lost Leaning and Liam Plunkett inside what turned out to be the last three balls of the day as Leaning was bowled by Peter Trego (3-46 from 15 overs) and Plunkett trapped lbw by Thomas.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie responded to a question about his England coaching situation with a “no update, mate”.
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