Rudolph adapts to life at the top (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rudolph adapts to life at the top

4:20pm Wednesday 9th September 2009 in

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Jacques Rudolph says two scores in the 190s have “saved my season”.

The prolific South African left-hander is on course for his best-ever County Championship campaign after moving to the top of the order.

Rudolph has scored 1,196 runs from 14 LV Division One matches, compared to 1,078 in 2007 and 1,292 last year.

On the face of it, he has not been anywhere near as consistent this year. He has had seven scores below ten, four of them being ducks. In the whole of 2007 he had seven scores below ten and five in 2008.

“The scary thing is that the stats say I look like I will score more runs this year than the previous two,” said the former Test and one-day international.

“But the thing that has happened since I have started opening is that there has been a tendency to get out earlier more than batting at four or five.

“Those big scores have really saved my season if I can say that. I have had a lot of low scores but quite a few high ones.”

Rudolph, who recently suffered two golden ducks in successive innings against Lancashire at Headingley and Warwickshire at Scarborough, has also scored 127 against Lancashire at Old Trafford and 149 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

“It’s just about getting through that first phase,” said 28-year-old Rudolph.

“Once I have got past the new-ball bowlers, get to 20 or 30, my thoughts kick back in as they would do when I am batting at four or five.

“I have found it (opening) a bit difficult this year and it’s all a learning curve.”

He and Joe Sayers, who has scored 967 runs from 14 matches, have averaged just shy of 50 at the top of the order.

Rudolph said: “Last year, when I was in the middle order, there was a public outcry to say that I should open. This year they are saying that I shouldn’t.

“Statistically we are up there with the top openers in the country.”

Rudolph will play near to a full season in South African domestic cricket with the Nashua Titans this winter.

Yorkshire face Gloucestershire in the Pro40 League Division One under lights at Headingley tomorrow evening.