Yorkshire's frontline bowling attack consisted of Matthew Hoggard, Morne Morkel, Darren Gough, Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid, while Nottinghamshire's comprised Ryan Sidebottom, Charlie Shreck, Stuart Broad, Mark Ealham and Graeme Swann.

Given anything like four full days' cricket, there seemed every prospect of a positive result, with the outcome seemingly too close to call.

In the end, Yorkshire were grateful to escape with a draw, while Nottinghamshire could only rue the loss of more than two-thirds of the opening day to bad weather.

Just as Yorkshire ran out of steam, so the visiting side ran out of time. A spirited attempt to force victory narrowly failed to pay dividends for the early Championship leaders, who had second-placed Yorkshire eight wickets down in their second innings when a fascinating match reached its conclusion with the home team just 64 runs ahead.

It was the sort of final day that takes hold of a crowd when they least expect it; a handful of overs into the final session, Yorkshire were 140-3, 17 runs in front, and the match was slowly winding down like an old grandfather clock.

Jacques Rudolph was busy showing why he is Yorkshire's best batsman, while Andrew Gale, a young man who has started the season strongly, did not look for budging at the other end.

Yorkshire, having begun their second innings with a testing deficit of 123, were approaching the stage where they could contemplate kicking off slippers and unwrapping cigars. Then calamity struck.

Rudolph, having aimed a few succulent blows to go with his first innings century, nicked one from Sidebottom and was caught behind.

Rashid picked out backward short-leg; Gale was smartly held low at slip; Gerard Brophy checked a drive into the hands of mid-on; Morne Morkel was caught in the leg-trap and, all of a sudden, Yorkshire were 168-8.

But Bresnan successfully negotiated 41 deliveries and Gough made 22 as they steered Yorkshire to safety with an unbroken 19 for the ninth-wicket, thwarting Nottinghamshire's hopes of winkling out the last two wickets and mounting a dramatic run-chase.

Afterwards, Gough admitted his side got out of jail against a team that showed the standard to which Yorkshire must aspire.

"I told the boys that Notts showed us what potential champions are made of," said Gough. "They were more disciplined with bat and ball.

"It went right down to the wire and we got out of jail in the end. Notts are a good side, but we didn't play the standard of cricket you'd expect."

Gough felt Yorkshire contributed to their own difficulties as they managed only 299 after winning the toss and then failed to capitalise after reducing Nottinghamshire to 115-5 in reply.

"Six of the wickets in our first innings were thrown away and we failed to get to the 400 mark," added Gough. "Straight away, that put us under pressure.

"It meant we then had to go and bowl them out and the pitch was very slow on days two and three, and there wasn't much in it for the bowlers.

"But credit to Chris Read, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad. They batted magnificently to get the Notts total up past 400, and when you consider they had Mark Ealham coming in at No 9, it showed their strength in depth."

Gough took 1-70 from 14 overs on his return to the Championship side following a back injury and he insisted there was more in his locker.

"I wouldn't say I was at my best, but I don't think I bowled badly," said Gough. "I'm not worried; this was my first Championship game of the season and to get 14 overs was a bonus.

"It was always going to be hard work and I need to get overs under my belt. Pace-wise, I was up there, and I hit the gloves quite well. I can bowl better, there's no doubt about that. I'm getting back into the swing of things and we're all working hard to improve as a unit."

After Nottinghamshire started day four on 356-6, Read went from 115 to 142 before he was the last man to fall with the total on 422, spooning up a towering catch that Bresnan did well to judge off his own bowling.

Stuart Broad could only add a single to his overnight half-century before falling leg-before to Rashid; Ealham also went leg-before after a stand of 51 with Read in 11 overs, and Bresnan had Sidebottom caught behind on his way to 4-51. Bresnan cleaned up the innings with 3-1 in 11 deliveries.

Sidebottom, having somehow gone wicketless in the first innings, struck the first blow in Yorkshire's second attempt when Joe Sayers was caught at fourth slip by Ealham just before lunch.

Michael Vaughan hit six boundaries only to fail once again to progress to a half-century, perishing for 34 when he chopped on attempting to cut Swann.

Anthony McGrath was another unable to convert a promising start, caught behind hooking for the second time in the match, before the middle order came and went.

Yorkshire were never at their best during the course of the game but, to their credit, they hung on in there.



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