Has there ever been a cricketer who made his debut for Yorkshire with such a feeling of good will from those watching on? It’s hard to believe there has. We all so desperately wanted him to make his family proud, so desperately wanted him to be the real deal. It’s was one of the joys of the summer when he appeared to be exactly that.

Of course, we should be wary of rushing to judge, as too many young cricketers are overly condemned or praised before they’ve had chance to settle into their career. But it’s hard not to be impressed with Bairstow’s level-headed temperament, his stillness at the crease and the sheer array of crisp, classical shots he can play. Hard not to conclude we’ve found a young batsman of real, possibly even rare, talent.

But even if that’s the case, Bairstow is still on a steep learning curve. His six half centuries this summer were accompanied by seven dismissals in single figures, as well as at times an apparent vulnerablity to top quality spin. Factors that need to be remembered when it comes to a second season where opposition bowlers now know what to expect.

If we’re to develop his talent as well as we did Rashid at a similar age, he needs to be protected from too much responsibility too soon. That means resisting the temptation to move him too high in the order. It also means a delicate balancing act may need to be performed with his opportunities with the gloves. For if his long term future is as a wicketkeeper-batsman then he needs experience behind the stumps at first team level, but again, experience that doesn’t overload a young player with responsibility. Here Yorkshire may have to be inventive, perhaps giving him the gloves for one-day matches, allowing Brophy to either rest his occasionally fragile hands, or take the option of playing as a purely attacking batsman.

How well that issue is handled could have serious implications for the next 15 years of Yorkshire cricket.

Championship – 12 matches, 592 runs @ 45.53, 21 catches

Pro40 – 8 matches, 26 runs @ 5.20

(Bairstow Photo: By kind permission, Dave Morton)