Coad inspired Yorkshire CCC puts Bess foot forward in pursuit of Cardiff triumph

Jonny Bairstow, of course, who always has something of a point to prove - usually after England have messed him around in some way or other.

And then there are Ben Coad and Dom Bess, the former surely one of the best cricketers never to have played for England, the latter not even in Yorkshire’s Championship team at the start of the year.

Between them, Coad and Bess played key roles for Yorkshire on the third day in Cardiff, the visitors moving to the cusp of victory as Glamorgan closed on 141-7 in their second innings, chasing 396. Coad took four wickets, his second strike giving him 50 for the season in the Championship, an outstanding effort.

Earlier, Bess contributed 47 to follow his first-innings fifty, sharing in an important stand with his captain, Jonny Tattersall, who added 40 himself on the back of such assistance.

Others played their part – Matty Fisher, George Hill and Jordan Thompson were also among the wickets – backed up by splendid fielding and slip catching.

Although it would be silly to say that Yorkshire were in trouble when Bess came to the crease about 40 minutes before lunch, the visitors were nevertheless wobbling a touch in good bowling conditions beneath overcast skies, and Bess helped Yorkshire reassert their authority.

From their overnight 116-1, they had slipped to 168-6, effectively 290-6, with just a slight window of opportunity for Glamorgan, perhaps, that they could keep a run-chase to manageable levels.

But Yorkshire’s seventh-wicket pair added 76 in 15.2 overs to take their side to 244-7 - effectively 366-7 - before a final score of 273 left Glamorgan wanting a target only thrice exceeded against Yorkshire in their history.

"It was a great day’s cricket for us,” reflected skipper Tattersall.

“It probably didn’t go as planned with the bat in the third innings, but we just need three wickets now and hopefully we can wrap it up quickly in the morning.

“Full credit to Bessy for staying out there with me, and we put on a really good partnership.

“As for Coady, he’s a class act in whatever he does.

"No matter what type of pitch we play on, he seems to find some movement out of it, and he bowled magnificently today.”

Weather-wise, conditions were similar to day two when play began, the initially overcast skies once more giving way to afternoon sunshine.

As on day two, early wickets fell - three inside the first half-hour as Fin Bean was trapped lbw pushing forward, nightwatchman Fisher bowled through the gate, and James Wharton lbw to one that tailed back.

Twenty minutes later came the important scalp of Bairstow, adjudged lbw to a delivery from James Harris that looked to be angling down the leg-side. It was Harris’s 600th first-class wicket and a controversial decision by umpire David Millns, to whom Bairstow extended a look that said it all.

When Hill got caught in two minds as to whether to play or leave a ball from van der Gugten that he eventually left with fatal results, Yorkshire were teetering a touch as Bess walked out to join Tattersall, only for the ship to be steadied in no uncertain terms.

As word reached Sophia Gardens of victories for Sussex and Middlesex, which meant that the former were promoted and that the latter regained second place over Yorkshire, albeit temporarily, Bess struck seven fours and a pulled six in his 58-ball innings.

After Tattersall was lbw pushing forward to give Ben Morris his maiden first-class wicket, and Thompson pinned by van der Gugten, Bess was ninth out when he edged van der Gugten to the diving wicketkeeper, the innings ending when Harris bowled Dan Moriarty to finish with a five-fer.

When Glamorgan replied, Coad trapped Sam Northeast with the third ball of the innings, and then had Colin Ingram turning to Wharton at mid-wicket to reach the 50-wicket milestone. Asa Tribe and Kiran Carlson added 64 for the third wicket, Coad returning to arrow one past Carlson’s defences to dislodge him for 41.

Hill had Ben Kellaway taken low down at second slip by Adam Lyth, and Glamorgan slid to 94-5 in the following over when Coad had Cooke edging behind. With just over 20 overs remaining at that stage, plus a possible extra half-hour, a three-day finish had loomed into view.

Fisher bowled van der Gugten with a beauty and Bean took a sensational one-handed catch low to his right at third slip off Thompson to dismiss Mason Crane, but Asa Tribe (50) and Harris (eight) held firm until bad light stole the final two overs.