The son of the former England wicketkeeper David Bairstow, Jonny's talent with the bat was evident from an early age. An early starter with Yorkshire's Under-15s, he was named Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year in 2007 having already played for Yorkshire's Second Eleven and their Academy side, and represented England Under-17. He enjoyed a fine 2008 season for Yorkshire seconds, scoring 308 runs at 61.60 in the Second XI Championship, and in October of that year followed in his father's footsteps by signing a full-time contract with Yorkshire.

He made an impressive first-class debut against Somerset in June 2009, cracking 82 in his second innings and soon secured his place in the first XI and further honours followed when he was picked up by England's Performance Programme and included in the England Lions successful tour of the Caribbean in January 2011.

By now Yorkshire's first-choice keeper, he registered his maiden first-class hundred against Nottinghamshire in May of that year, and, having previously passed fifty 17 times without reaching three figures in 34 first-class matches, just to emphasise the fact made it a double.

There is a thought that, long term, he may be a specialist batsman and his debut innings in one-day internationals backed up that theory as he hit an unbeaten 41 off 21 balls against India at Cardiff before a tough tour of India showed the realities of international cricket. However, further development followed with a match-winning T20 innings against Pakistan in the UAE and after a strong start to the 2012 season he was handed a call-up to the Test squad to face West Indies.
Liam Brickhill May 2012