Liam Plunkett has admitted he is back in love with cricket after impressing for the England Lions.

The all-rounder was one of three Yorkshire players who scored centuries for the Lions in a three-day tour match in Sri Lanka which finished on Saturday, joining Alex Lees and York’s Jonny Bairstow.

After Lees scored 119 at the top of the order in the first innings of the clash with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ Emerging Players side in Colombo, Bairstow added 117 in the second and Plunkett 114. The White Rose pair shared 210 for the fifth wicket.

Plunkett said: “I am at the stage now where I am 28, and last year I fell back in love with cricket.

“After a couple of years that were a bit of a downer, last year I really loved cricket. I have been excited to play, and I was looking forward to coming out to Sri Lanka with Yorkshire in three or four weeks. To come out a bit earlier is good fun.”