WHAT a difference a year makes! Yorkshire quick Liam Plunkett can certainly relate to that.

Not a million miles away from this time last year, Plunkett had just returned from England’s tour of the Caribbean having sat out each of the three Tests.

He was inked in to play in Yorkshire’s County Championship match against Hampshire at Headingley in mid-May, but he missed that too, on disciplinary grounds having turned up late for training and missed a club photo call.

The former Durham man instead went to play a second-team fixture against Kent in Canterbury, where he scored a century.

Now, Plunkett is reflecting on a change in fortunes having just scored his maiden Championship century against Hampshire at Headingley earlier this week.

“To come back from the World Cup and do that first up was pleasing,” he said, following his recent World T20 duty with finalists England.

“It’s certainly a big difference to last year when I didn’t play.”

Plunkett, who scored 126 in the draw against Hampshire, nearly achieved the rare feat of scoring a hundred before lunch on day two by smashing 94 in only 68 minutes at the crease.

He also took two wickets later in the day, and he will be looking to build on his encouraging performance against Warwickshire at Edgbaston tomorrow.

“I’ve not played better than that in terms of striking the ball,” continued the 31-year-old.

“I’d felt good with my balance in the nets before, and that’s key for me being a tall lad. I sometimes fall over, but I felt like I was hitting the ball straight.

“A lot of the times with England, you’re a net tester. I know way back when I used to go in first with Matthew Hoggard and people were trying to take my ears off. You can only improve.

“One of my strengths is my pull shot because, as 13th man with England, people try and pepper you.

“As much as you want to play, you do improve your cricket. That’s why people, when they come back from England, are a lot better in the field and pick up their batting.

“I enjoy my batting. The way we (Yorkshire) play, a lot of the time you go in, there’s 300 already on the board. So you can play your natural game. That’s the way they want me to play.”

It has been a mixed winter for Plunkett, who did not play any of the Tests against Pakistan or South Africa, but impressed when he played in limited overs cricket.

In fact, despite playing the last four matches in the World T20, including the final, he had been left out of the original squad until injury struck Steven Finn.

“It was frustrating I didn’t play more, but when I got my chance, I thought I did myself proud,” he added.

“If I keep doing what I do, be aggressive with pace on the ball, I will do myself justice.

“If I don’t get myself among that England Test squad, at least I’ll have done well for Yorkshire.”

Andrew Gale's men will take an unchanged 13-man squad to Warwickshire, who have drawn their first two matches.

Yorks squad: Gale c, Lyth, Lees, Ballance, Bairstow w, Leaning, Rashid, Plunkett, Patterson, Brooks, Sidebottom, Rhodes, Willey.