Joe Sayers is loving the opportunity to show another side of his game in Twenty20 cricket.

The Yorkshire batsman has admitted his frustration at being perceived as a player only capable of playing in the County Championship.

But he is satisfied with a couple of his performances in four Friends Life t20 appearances so far this campaign.

The left-hander says he has been encouraged by first-team coach Jason Gillespie to be more positive in all forms of the game at the top of the order.

He should get another opportunity to show that against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday, his first taste of a Roses Twenty20 match.

“It has been a frustration over the years,” said Sayers, who scored 28 off 23 balls against Leicestershire earlier this month before adding 38 off 30 against Nottinghamshire at Headingley on Sunday.

“In the early part of my career I fulfilled a role in a senior side of ex-internationals really, where I was the anchor in the four-day innings with people batting around me. I suppose that’s where it’s developed from.

“But Dizzy (Gillespie) is full of belief and confidence in my ability to go and strike the ball.

“He’s been really encouraging me to play that way in all forms of the game and go and show an intent to score. I’m really enjoying it and it’s quite liberating really.

“Hopefully I can take that into 40-over cricket later in the summer and into the four-day stuff as well.

“Dizzy’s basically said that he’s right behind me to go and redefine myself as a player in that way. I’m quite excited about the opportunity, to be honest.

“Hopefully a couple of Twenty20s over the next week will help me make a statement that I’m committed to that and am going in the right direction.”

Sayers has only played 16 times in this format in his career – and unless Yorkshire win their last three group games, he will have to wait to get into the 20s.

The Vikings know where they must improve – their play against spin – and must improve quickly because Lancashire pride themselves on using three spinners with the boundaries pushed back.

“Obviously we had David Miller last year who could strike the ball over the boundary against spin and that’s a major part of getting 160 plus,” said Sayers.

“I think we need to get better at taking them down for eights, nines or tens an over.”