Relegation-threatened Yorkshire crushed inside three days by Warwickshire

The emphatic victory pushed Warwickshire back into the title race, leaving them only three points behind leaders Lancashire, but it virtually condemned Yorkshire to Second Division cricket next season.

Chanderpaul already stood on 167 and Barker 33 when Warwickshire began the day on 340 for six with a lead of 43, and they were in complete control by the time they were bowled out for 482.

The hosts then collapsed to 127 all out in an effort devoid of the fight needed by a team battling to avoid relegation

Chanderpaul and Barker pair stayed very much in control as they slowly built on their overnight partnership of 76.

The first hour produced 27 runs and the only loose shot of Chanderpaul’s marathon innings came when he mistimed a pull at Richard Pyrah and the ball ballooned into a safe space.

After batting for seven hours and 20 minutes, the West Indian finally departed, prompting bowler Steven Patterson to punch the air in relief and delight. Chanderpaul dabbed outside off-stump and was caught behind after receiving 306 balls and stroking 26 boundaries.

His stand with Barker had produced 119 in 40 overs and runs began to flow more quickly with the appearance of Neil Carter, the eighth-wicket pair putting on 71 together in 16 overs. They kept each other company until shortly after lunch when Barker tamely drove Joe Root to Adil Rashid at cover, his 85 containing 11 fours and coming off 167 balls.

Root’s off-spin also brought him the last two wickets of Carter and Chris Metters to give him career-best figures of three for 33.

Left-arm spinner David Wainwright also had three wickets, but there was no reward for the out-of-sorts Adil Rashid, whose leg-breaks cost him 90 runs from 25 overs.

Warwickshire’s 482 gave them a formidable lead of 185 and Yorkshire began to crumble from the first over, Barker’s fourth ball bringing the prize wicket of Jacques Rudolph who jabbed outside off-stump and was well caught by Tim Ambrose.

Root played an exquisite cover drive off Barker but four balls later he sliced a fierce drive to gully when he was splendidly caught two-handed by Ian Westwood.

Things went from bad to worse as Anthony McGrath became the first of two victims in seven balls for Wright who was making a good impression on loan from Essex.

McGrath, still not off the mark, edged his 16th ball into Ambrose’s gloves and Gary Ballance shuffled across his stumps to fall lbw, also without scoring.

Tea came at 40 for four and the slump continued after the interval as Gerard Brophy was bowled by Wright aiming to hit through mid-wicket and opener Joe Sayers was lbw to a full ball from Barker for 25.

Richard Pyrah went on the attack by smacking six boundaries in his 28 off 17 balls before driving Barker gently to James Troughton at mid-off and in the next over Wright struck twice by bowling Rashid and having Ryan Sidebottom caught at first slip by Varun Chopra.

At 91 for nine, Yorkshire had avoided their lowest score of the season - 86 against Nottinghamshire at Headingley - and the last pair of Wainwright and Patterson survived until Patterson had his stumps knocked back at 127 in the 38th over.

For Chris Waters’s verdict read Friday’s Yorkshire Post.