Yorkshire capture runner-up spot in Championship

Only Australia opener Chris Rogers offered any real resistance as Middlesex chased a 277 target in a minimum of 75 overs but once he had departed for 65 a Yorkshire win appeared inevitable and the visitors were all out for 196 in 49.5 overs.

It was Yorkshire’s seventh win of the campaign and as soon as the game was over, skipper Andrew Gale and his team came on to the field to applaud the spectators who gave them a standing ovation.

Middlesex launched their second innings eight overs before the lunch interval and they soon lost Sam Robson who edged Steven Patterson low to Adam Lyth at second slip.

Three overs into the afternoon session, Joe Denly was late on his shot and had his off-stump removed by Ryan Sidebottom to bring the left-arm fast bowler his 50th first class victim of the summer.

Rogers had moved confidently on to 28 when he flashed at Sidebottom and was caught behind by Jonny Bairstow but Yorkshire jubilation turned rapidly to disappointment as umpire Nigel Llong signalled a no-ball.

Dawid Malan went on to the attack in a 56-run stand with Rogers and he had galloped to 31 from 38 balls with eight fours when he fell lbw in Liam Plunkett’s second over.

Middlesex dipped to 103 for four with the departure of Neil Dexter, caught in the slips by Kane Williamson off Jack Brooks, but dangerman Rogers reached his half-century off 64 balls with nine fours before he drove and cut Jack Brooks for consecutive boundaries.

He had another stroke of luck on 61 when he slashed hard at Plunkett and Lyth could not hold on to a fast chance to his left but this escape was not expensive because four runs later he was caught behind off Plunkett, the batsman looking disappointed and waited for confirmation from the umpire.

John Simpson and Gareth Berg both succumbed to edges off Patterson and at tea Middlesex were 149 for seven. They refused to capitulate, however, and Ollie Rayner and Tom Helm hung around for 10 overs before the latter departed lbw to Brooks and two balls later Tim Murtagh was held by Gary Ballance at first slip.

The match ended with Rayner driving Brooks gently to Patterson at mid-off to bring the bowler his fourth wicket.

Yorkshire began the day on 130 for five with an overall lead of 212 and although handily placed on a bowler-friendly pitch they still lost their last five wickets while adding 64 runs in 20 overs.

But Ballance, 53 not out overnight, batted beautifully until he departed for 90, just 10 runs short of completing 1,000 Championship runs for the season.

This was Ballance’s last chance to impress Test selector, James Whitaker, before the Ashes party is chosen at a noon meeting on Saturday.

It was Adil Rashid, however, who made all the early running and he had four boundaries in his 21 before he was well caught at first slip by Malan off Murtagh.

Further wickets soon followed as Plunkett mis-pulled Helm to Dexter at mid-wicket and Sidebottom was taken in the slips by Rayner off Berg without scoring, leaving Yorkshire on 179 for eight and Ballance, 76, in danger of running out of partners.

He late cut Helm for four and square cut him to the boundary but then flicked the debutant paceman straight into the hands of Malan at long leg, his runs coming off 113 balls with 11 fours.

The innings was quickly brought to a close by Berg, who accounted for Brooks, and Middlesex formed a guard-of-honour as they left the field for opening fast bowler Corey Collymore who is out of contract with the county.