Day 3
Yorkshire beat Warwickshire by 48 runs in a fiercely fought contest at Headingley to haul themselves into third spot in the Specsaver County Championship table, just one point behind second-placed Somerset and with a game in hand.
The victory, completed within three days, enhances their chances of a third consecutive title win, and also keeps them in with a shout of scooping all three of the major domestic trophies.
Warwickshire, who were above their opponents before the game began, were handicapped through Sam Hain having to bat lower down the order after damaging a shoulder when crashing into the terracing in a futile attempt to cut off a boundary shot from Andrew Hodd.
Both Rikki Clarke and Jeetan Patel bowled outstandingly well in the second innings but a long and courageous knock of 70 by Yorkshire opener, Alex Lees, guided his side to a final score of 150 and an overall lead of 228.
After losing early wickets, Warwickshire were bowled out for 180 but not before offering some strong resistance.
Warwickshire had one over to bat before lunch and Andrew Umeed bagged a pair when he was lbw to Ryan Sidebottom’s third ball.
Soon after the interval, Warwickshire found themselves 14-3 as Varun Chopra and Ian Bell were lbw to consecutive balls from the fired-up Jack Brooks.
But Jonathan Trott and Tim Ambrose, who survived a sharp catch behind the stumps on nine, rallied Warwickshire with a fighting stand of 91 which defied the spinners and caused Yorkshire to bring back their pacemen after tea.
The move soon paid off because Ambrose (36) pushed at Sidebottom and was magnificently caught by Jack Leaning diving far to his right at third slip.
Trott was out in the next over from Brooks, top-edging a catch to the jubilant bowler. The former England man had hit 59 from 107 deliveries with seven fours and his departure brought in Hain at 109 for five with 120 still required.
He and Clarke added valuable runs before Patterson picked up the important wicket of Clarke who left the field shaking his head at the lbw decision.
Rashid was brought back at 145 for six with 84 wanted and in consecutive overs he had Keith Barker lbw and Patel smartly stumped as he was lured out of his crease. Warwickshire were sinking fast and Wright was lbw to Rashid for eight but Hain and last-man Oliver Hannon-Dalby kept their side afloat long enough for the extra half hour to be claimed. Nine balls into it, Hain edged Rashid to Lyth at slip for 35, the leg-spinner mopping up with four for 29.
Yorkshire just had their noses in front when they began the third day on 78 for five, 156 ahead, with Lees on 39 and Adil Rashid three. Two early boundaries for Rashid off Clarke eased the home nerves but with 21 added Rashid was picked up at short leg by Hain during a marathon spell from Patel which began at five o’clock the previous afternoon from the Kirkstall Lane end.
Lees completed a solid half-century off 137 balls with eight fours but Bresnan, in aiming a slog-sweep at Patel, skied a catch to mid-on where Keith Barker calmly took it after shielding his eyes from the sun.
Wright struck two important blows for Warwickshire when he had Hodd caught behind and then obtained a similar result against Lees, driving airily outside off-stump to be ninth out. He had battled away for 254 minutes, receiving 198 balls and hitting six fours.
Brooks launched a six over mid-wicket off Patel but before he could cause further damage the bowler had Sidebottom snapped up by Clarke without scoring, Patel and Clarke each finishing up with four wickets.
Day 2
After looking well-placed to push for victory, Yorkshire were rocked back by Rikki Clarke who claimed four for ?? in their second innings on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match at Headingley.
The title-holders closed on 78 fo rfive with an overall lead of 156 on a tricky pitch but Warwickshire will now feel they are in with a fair chance of winning the match themselves.
Yorkshire bowled out the visitors for 179 to gain a first innings advantage of 78 but Clarke also shone with the bat with an unbeaten half-century.
It is turning into an excellent match for Ryan Sidebottom who is having his first senior outing since injuring an ankle in April. After helping Steven Patterson add a crucial 53 for the last wicket in the morning, the left-arm fast bowler then weighed in with three for 41, the dismissal of Sam Hain bringing him his 400th first class victim for Yorkshire at an average of 22.69.
Patterson and Sidebottom added only five to their overnight stand before Patterson fell to Clarke for 38 but their partnership was of real value on a pitch which made it difficult for batsman to gauge their strokes properly.
Warwickshire were struggling from the second over when Andrew Umeed was taken at third slip by Jack Leaning off Jack Brooks and after Varun Chopra had hurried to 23 he was lbw to a good ball from Sidebottom.
Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell were as qualified as anyone to master the pitch but both were surprised by balls which ‘stopped’ on them, Trott miscuing a pull to give Brooks a return catch and Bell slicing Patterson’s fourth ball to Adil Rashid at point.
Warwickshire were 40 for four and the only batsmen to show any signs of permanency after that were Hain and the evergreen and versatile Clarke.
Hain stroked the ball handsomely through the covers and had eight fours in his 48 before he was caught low at first slip by Tim Bresnan to take Sidebottom to his milestone.
Clarke, having come in after Tim Ambrose had edged Patterson to the wicket-keeper, scored his first 20 runs in boundaries, and he was still there with 50 from 71 balls with ten fours after Rashid had helped to polish off the tail.
Headingley is a happy hunting ground for Clarke who in seven innings has scored 387 runs at an average of 96.75 as well claiming his fair share of wickets and catches.
Although Rashid was sometimes wayward he still returned the best figures of three for 32 while Brooks and Patterson had two wickets apiece.
Adam Lyth and Alex Lees quickly moved Yorkshire’s lead into three figures but Warwickshire kept themselves in the game by snatching three wickets for ten runs in seven overs as the Champions dipped to 53 for three.
Lyth and Travis Head were both caught at first slip by Chopra off Clarke who then held on to Andrew Gale in the same spot when he pushed defensively at Jeetan Patel.
Lees and Leaning slowly attempted a recovery before Clarke struck in consecutive deliveries, clean bowling Leaning and pinning nightwatchman, Patterson, lbw, leaving Lees and Rashid to prevent any further mishaps.
Day One
A half-century for Australian, Travis Head, on his Specsavers County Championship debut, and an unbroken last wicket stand of 48 between Steven Patterson and Ryan Sidebottom, helped Yorkshire close on 252 for nine on the first day of their match against Warwickshire.
The title-holders went into the match in sixth place in the table but with a game in hand of all those above them, apart from Durham. Warwickshire, also in with a good chance of claiming the crown, held third spot, 14 points behind leaders, Middlesex.
Yorkshire were able to include both Sidebottom, out of action since late April with an ankle injury, and fellow paceman, Jack Brooks, who had recovered from an abdominal strain. They were also able to pick leg-spinner, Adil Rashid, after his release by England, but they decided to omit both Liam Plunkett and David Willey.
Winning the toss, Yorkshire’s innings was soon interrupted by a heavy shower but on the resumption they lost Alex Lees who was lbw to the third delivery from first change bowler, Rikki Clarke.
Head, looking every bit a first class player, settled in well with Adam Lyth who seemed in fine form himself, twice in one over driving Clarke through extra cover when he over-pitched.
Keith Barker bowled an excellent opening spell of 7-3-10-0 before being rested and Warwickshire were not long in bringing on Jeetan Patel, the pitch appearing helpful for pace and spin alike.
A flurry of boundaries for Head helped him catch up with Lyth who also fell in the first over of another bowling change. This time, former Yorkshire fast bowler, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, joined the attack and his fourth ball was a good one which the batsman was forced to play at but he only succeeded in edging to wicket-keeper, Tim Ambrose for 24.
Yorkshire went in to lunch on 62 for two and Hannon-Dalby’s first two balls on the resumption were hit for fours by Head but he lost his captain, Andrew Gale, when he was also caught behind off a testing delivery from Barker who was well deserving of his success.
By now, Head was looking very comfortable and he off-drove Barker for four to raise his 50 from 78 balls with nine fours. Another boundary followed but, in the same over, he cut hard at the bowler and straight into the hands of Andrew Umeed at gully.
After Leaning temporarily eased some of the pressure with a cleanly struck six over long on at Patel’s expense, the spinner struck back by getting Adil Rashid caught at slip by Clarke, the ball having first brushed Ambrose’s glove.
Yorkshire were in some trouble at 130 for five and Bresnan immediately had a piece of good fortune as a snorter from Chris Wright flew off the bat and just over the top of gully for four.
Both Leaning and Bresnan are men in form at the moment and they initiated a recover with some nicely timed strokes to take Yorkshire in to tea on 172 for five.
They moved their sixth wicket stand on to 60 before Leaning pushed defensively at Barker and was caught at second slip by Clarke for 42 and at 199 Bresnan clipped Hannon-Dalby firmly to deep mid-wicket and straight into the hands of Patel to depart for 28.
Without addition, Andrew Hodd fell lbw to Patel and when Brooks chopped Barker into his stumps, Yorkshire were 204 for nine and apparently sinking fast.
But Patterson, shielding Sidebottom from the strike for much of the time, frustrated Warwickshire with some unorthodox runs and after smacking consecutive fours off Barker the new ball was taken at 224 for nine in 84.4 overs.
Barker’s spell ended when he left the field, having bowled splendidly for his four for 55, and Patel was rested after 27 overs off the reel from the Kirkstall Lane end had brought him two for 54.
The biggest cheer of the day went up when the last wicket pair brought Yorkshire a second batting bonus point at 250 for nine, their stand now being worth 46, and they added a further two before the close.
