Yorkshire's Bairstow aims to do family proud (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Yorkshire's Bairstow aims to do family proud

10:11pm Monday 14th May 2012 in Sport By Sports Desk

Jonny Bairstow’s Test debut is bound to be an emotional occasion for his family, and many others – but he knows he must keep his cool to really do himself and them proud.

Bairstow is set to become only the 13th son, in the history of English cricket, to follow his father into the Test arena.

His late father David played four Tests between 1979 and 1981.

When his son makes his debut against West Indies on Thursday, as he surely will after being named as one of six specialist batsmen in a 13-man squad, the 22-year-old Yorkshireman’s mum and sister will be at Lord’s to watch.

Bairstow has only played twice before at the home of cricket and that was in limited-overs matches for his native county.

But England have placed their faith in him to handle centre stage and he insists he will not let the occasion distract him.

“(It will be) the same as every other day – there is a guy at the other end with a ball in his hand and you’ve got to face it,” he said.

“It will be a proud moment if selected and my family will be very proud.

“But at end of day it is another game of cricket... you can’t do anything but face the ball the other guy is going to bowl at you.

Bairstow was only eight when his father, like him a wicketkeeper-batsman, died.

He has always been a talented all-round sportsman, but it was no surprise when his cricketing ability took over and propelled him into a professional career.

“Playing for England is a massive ambition and something I grew up as a boy dreaming of doing,” he said. “Obviously doing it here at Lord’s, the home of cricket, is something that is special to say the least.”

Many good judges are already predicting Bairstow, who produced a man-of-the-match innings on his international debut in a 50-over fixture against India in Cardiff last September, will go on to a long and distinguished Test career.

But he will not be buying into the hype and will concentrate instead on making sure he produces the goods.

“It is a boyhood dream, but we can only go from there,” he said.

“Every time you go on the pitch there is an opportunity to express yourself - whether that is in a school match, club game, county game, (England) Lions or England game.

“It is an opportunity, something I will be looking forward to, and it will be tough.”

One thing Bairstow will have to set aside, at least temporarily, is his wicketkeeping - because Matt Prior does that job for England, officially better than anyone else for any other country.

“I am enjoying my keeping, but at the moment the world’s number one keeper is keeping in the Test side,” Bairstow said.

“He is doing fantastically well, so I am pleased to get call as a batsman.”

In front of the stumps, Bairstow - who followed two hundreds for Yorkshire already this year with a 50 for England Lions against West Indies at Northampton in his last innings - has a reputation for making runs when they are needed most.

“It is a good attribute to have,” he said.

“You don’t want someone that cries off when the chips are down.

“It is good to have the willpower and want to dig a team out of a situation. It is something that comes naturally to me.”

It is perhaps unlikely world-beating England will need that type of innings from their newest recruit this week - but they have doubtless noted Bairstow’s handy knack nonetheless.