Jonathan Tattersall

Jonny Tattersall is a prime example of never giving up on your goal. Released by Yorkshire in 2015, he continued to work for an opportunity, trialing with Derbyshire and playing minor counties for Lincolnshire. After impressing for Yorkshire's 2nd XI, he earned a summer contract in 2017, and then the following year he seized his chance - having taken up wicketkeeping to strengthen his claims on a playing spot, and with Jonny Bairstow's regular deputy, Andrew Hodd, coming to the end of his career, Tattersall was in the right place at the right time.

He kept his role as wicketkeeper until 2021, when the rising star Harry Duke unseated him, but after regaining his place midway through the 2022 season, Tattersall was surprisingly named by Ottis Gibson as the new club captain, following the decision to release Steve Patterson at the end of the summer.

Tattersall made his first-class and T20 debuts in 2018, and quickly became a key member of the side with his tidy batting and unobtrusive work behind the stumps. He scored a maiden first-class hundred against Leeds/Bradford MCCU in 2019 and averaged 44.16 in the Bob Willis Trophy the following year, while holding on to the gloves in both white-ball sides.

In his first spell at Headingley, Tattersall managed just one List A appearance during the 2013 season. He was an agile fielder which led him to act as a substitute for the England senior side on a number of occasions. In 2014, he represented England Under-19s at the ICC World Cup in the UAE, helping the team reach the semi-finals. But it was a conversation with Andrew Gale four years later about giving wicketkeeping a try that helped him crack a career in cricket.
ESPNcricinfo staff