SPECTATORS may not have had much chance of seeing David Willey the batsman, but they certainly saw plenty of Shaun Marsh on his Yorkshire debut at Pudsey Congs last night.

Yorkshire’s second overseas player – Peter Handscomb is playing in the four-day match against Somerset at Scarborough – scored 91 off just 52 balls to help a second-string county side defeat an All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League XI by 71 runs in a T20 warm-up match.

Marsh, who was generally in control, hit seven sixes and seven fours in a breezy one-hour knock, adding 130 for the third wicket in their 212-5 with skipper Will Rhodes, whose 57 occupied just 29 balls and included three sixes and seven fours.

The 34-year-old Australian, who will play for Yorkshire in a NatWest Blast T20 clash against Nottinghamshire at Headingley on Friday, said of his white-rose debut innings: “I got better as the innings went on but I was a bit stretched at first.”

As for Yorkshire’s prospects, Marsh said: “We have a very experienced squad and the key to T20 is making a good start.”

The Bradford League won the toss and opted to bowl and, although Willey hit three crisp fours in his 16, he spent a lot of time examining his bat in a 12-ball stay.

His dismissal brought Marsh to the crease, and although he stroked his first ball square on the offside for a pleasing boundary, he was beaten a couple of times before getting into his stride alongside Ryan Gibson (31).

While pace, via late recruit Jack Hartley, Curtis Free, Josh Holling and Conor Harvey, coped well, conceding 128 in 15 overs and taking all five wickets, spin from Noman Ali, Jack Hughes, Callum Geldart and Simon Lambert was despatched for 81 in the other five overs.

The Bradford League, in their vivid orange shirts, were on the back foot from the off as Willey thrived with the ball, having skipper Gary Fellows and Adam Waite caught by wicket-keeper Jonathan Read off faint edges.

Lambert (26), Geldart (23) and, particularly, Ali (34 off 15 balls including three sixes and three fours) coped best, but the innings in essence petered out to 141.

Willey bowled 14 dot balls in his 24, taking 4-19, while left-armer Karl Carver, who opened from the far end, at least showed that spinners could cope by taking 2-26.

Marsh, who was happy to sign autographs afterwards, does not seem worried by jet lag or a busy schedule.

“I have been here a week and the best way of avoiding jet lag is sleep, and I have had a couple of days’ rest.

“My schedule is down to me but I don’t worry about overplaying because I am a batsman.”