Cricket final: Yorkshire humbled as Notts claim shock win

YORKSHIRE’s hopes of a quick kill on day three of their County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Headingley Carnegie were frustrated by a courageous fightback from the visitors.

The home side began the day with every chance of clinching victory in the morning session when Notts resumed on 175 for six, still needing to score 18 runs to knock off their arrears.

But a fighting seventh-wicket stand of 150 between captain Chris Read and Steven Mullaney helped the visitors to recover to 337, leaving Yorkshire needing 145 to win.

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However, they were never able to take a grip of the situation and were sent packing in 30.3 overs, the pace trio of Luke Fletcher, Charlie Shreck and Paul Franks each capturing three wickets.

Yorkshire hit trouble right from the start as they slumped to 15 for three. Adam Lyth and Anthony McGrath fell lbw to consecutive balls from Shreck, while captain Andrew Gale played onto his stumps.

The only batsman who was capable of staying for any length of time was Jonathan Bairstow, who kept his cool while wickets fell around him and was unbeaten at the end with 50 from 77 balls with nine fours.

It briefly looked as if Joe Root and Bairstow might remedy the situation until Root was lbw to Franks and there was no comeback from 44 for four.

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Gerard Brophy was lbw moving across his stumps to Shreck and Adil Rashid and Richard Pyrah were dismissed in consecutive overs from Franks.

Shreck, having bowled 13 overs for 29 runs and three wickets, was rested and Samit Patel came on to have David Wainwright caught off bat and pad by Alex Hales.

Fletcher trapped Ryan Sidebottom lbw and then had his team-mates jumping with joy as last man Oliver Hannon-Dalby slanted a catch to Patel at second slip.

Notts had far fewer problems than they expected in the morning against untidy bowling, although one ball from Hannon-Dalby reared unexpectedly and struck Mullaney on the left hand.

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He was able to continue after treatment and recovered in time to hook Pyrah for six to complete his half-century off 93 balls, while Read’s 50, which contained six fours, also raised the century stand.

The stand went on to overtake Nottinghamshire’s previous best for the seventh wicket against Yorkshire of 147 by David Hussey and Franks at Scarborough in 2009, but at 150 it was finally ended by Rashid, who had Read lbw for 86.

In his next over, Rashid bowled Adams with a big googly before the leg-spinner picked up a third wicket by trapping Fletcher lbw, while Mullaney was last out for 83, pulling Sidebottom to deep square leg.

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