Will Luxton on how he plans to break into Yorkshire CCC County Championship team in 2024

In front of friends, family and a healthy 2,000-plus crowd at North Marine Road, Luxton announced himself as a potential star of the future.

In the intervening two and a half seasons of cricket much has changed at Yorkshire, not least the coaching staff, and Luxton’s opportunities have not been as plentiful, nor has he been able to seize them with the same gusto he did back in July 2021, but the hunger within someone who - let’s not forget is still only 20 - burns brightly.

When he assesses 2023 for instance, the verdict is one of it being a “mixed” year.

“My white-ball season was a lot more successful than my red-ball,” says Luxton, who got a few more opportunities in the 50-over format but knocked a couple of hundreds in second-team cricket.

“I do feel my red-ball came on but I’ve been getting more chances in the white-ball, particularly the T20 Blast last summer, and that’s something I’ll always remember.”

He played three T20 fixtures in a five-day burst at the start of June last year, but his primary opportunities in first-class cricket have come in the MetroBank Cup, benefiting from the fact most of Yorkshire’s senior batters are away playing for England or in The Hundred.

“I’ve grasped the opportunity a bit more in the 50-over but that’s possibly because most of your age-group cricket is 50-over based, so for most players that’s the normal format,” he tells The Yorkshire Post.

“It’s a comfortable transition because you understand the format. The 50-over Cup has been massive for my development at Yorkshire, and that’s the same with a lot of the younger lads.

“I was 18 when I first played under the old coaches and I was so grateful they gave me a chance, playing at Scarborough, York and places where the crowds are full. I’d never experienced anything like that before.

“The One-Day Cup is a stepping stone from second team to 50 overs and then the move into the first team. The Hundred is almost a win-win for guys like me.”

As comfortable as he feels facing the white ball, Luxton is hoping to build on his solitary County Championship match back in 2022, in the summer ahead. To do that, Luxton has prioritised working on his batting technique for the longer format of the game this winter, hoping that work plus the foundations laid in the shorter formats helps him make a breakthrough into Yorkshire’s County Championship team.

“I’ve been doing a lot of basic stuff, red-ball stuff, so hopefully this year if I get a chance I can take it,” says Luxton, who started his cricketing journey at Thackley, before moving on to Steeton.

A naturally aggressive batter, what are the key differences he has found? “It’s about patience and shot-selection,” he replies. “You get more free rein with a white ball, you’re just trying to hit it over them as opposed to past them in red ball, but cricket always comes down to red ball and if your red ball cricket is going well then you should be all right.

“In white ball it’s natural to me to be more aggressive, it’s just the way I’ve been brought up. So in red ball I need to find a balance. I know I can score fast enough but by not being too loose. And to do that I’ve got to make sure that if I’m going to play a certain shot it’s the right ball to do it, the right time. I don’t think it’s a case of reining that aggression in, it’s about being more selective.”

Adam Lyth has not been shy with his counsel, the 36-year-old was scoring 645 runs in the County Championship when he was 20, and has been a constant source of advice to young Luxton.

“He’s always great to speak to,” offers Luxton. “Hopefully we see a bit of Joe Root at Yorkshire this summer, I’ll be picking his brains.”

For a 20-year-old in men’s cricket it must be an exciting time with so many avenues open to them if they stay focused - County Championship, England, T20 franchises at home and abroad, The Hundred.

He has already won a World Cup playing for England Under-19s.

An interesting summer lies ahead as Will Luxton looks to grab a few more headlines for Yorkshire.