Title favourites Yorkshire CCC reach midpoint of Championship season without a win

But a draw against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road on Monday left them with a record of five draws to go with two defeats.

They have now won four of 34 Championship games dating back to the start of the 2022 season after the previous coaches and backroom staff were sacked. There was a long debrief in the dressing room after play at Wantage Road, with no sign of the Yorkshire players and coaching staff when The Yorkshire Post went to press.

On an entertaining fourth day, Yorkshire had extended their second innings score from 156-5 to 264-6 declared, setting Northamptonshire 326 for victory from a minimum of 71 overs.

The hosts were moving purposefully towards their target at 165-2 in the 33rd over but lost wickets at regular intervals, slipping to 219-8 with six overs left.

But Ricardo Vasconcelos, the opening batsman, repelled Yorkshire with a magnificent, unbeaten 129, made from 183 balls with 17 fours, the hosts closing the contest on 250-8.

Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth captured a career-best 4-54 with his part-time spin.

Afterwards, a bubbly Vasconcelos was quickly out to speak to the press, the South African-born left-hander reflecting on how Northants had harboured high hopes of forcing the win only to be frustrated in the finish.

"It was a bit of a weird (team) innings,” he said, “firstly going for it and really trying to put our foot down to then having to scale back was quite tough to be honest.

"All my instincts were telling me to take it on (the win), but sometimes you don’t do it and have to be sensible.

"We were willing to risk losing to win because, ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do – win every game,” he added.

What Yorkshire would give for the winning feeling...