By Chris Waters

Published 14th May 2023, 14:51 BST

Updated 14th May 2023, 16:44 BST

Asked whether he is feeling pressure after what is now the second-longest winless run in the club’s history, the county’s head coach replied: “I’m not playing.”

The former West Indies fast bowler allowed the question to settle and then elaborated: “Look, there’s always pressure on the coach. When we win, the players win, and when we lose, the coach lost. That’s how it’s always been.

“But I’m ok. I come in every day with a smile on my face, the sun comes up and I’m happy with my life.

DOWN AND OUT: Yorkshire bowler Jordan Thompson shows his frustration as Durham batsmen Matthew Potts (left) and Ben Raine pick up some runs on their way to a nail-biting one-wicket County Championship victory at the Seat Unique Riverside Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images.

“I work hard every day to try and create a real good environment around the team and a positive environment and keep the guys motivated.

“If we were not putting ourselves in a position to win, then I would feel a lot different to how I feel now, because we are doing a lot of good things.

“It’s just that one win that’s eluding us.

“I strongly believe that it’s not far away, but at the same time we still have to make it happen. It’s not going to happen just because we want it to happen.

Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

"We have to make it happen ourselves.”

Yorkshire were left wondering where that next win is coming from after a game that could have gone either way.

They were favourites in the north-east after reducing Durham to 173-8 in pursuit of 246 for victory but were unable to finish the job; arguably, they could be sitting pretty with three wins after dominating before losing to Leicestershire, and then drawing at Sussex when thwarted by the weather.

“When you look back at the 17 games, and I’ve said this to the lads in the dressing room, in order to win, you have to create the opportunities first,” Gibson continued.

END GAME: Durham's Brydon Carse (left) and Ben Raine celebrate the winning runs as Yorkshire bowler George Hill shows his dejection at the Seat Unique Riverside. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images.

“If you look at last week, for instance, against Glamorgan. After the second day, when we batted poorly, we had no chance of winning that game.

"But the Leicester game, we had an opportunity to win. The game at Sussex, we had an opportunity to win. Again, here this week, we had an opportunity to win.

“We’re putting ourselves in with a chance. Perhaps we’re lacking a bit of toughness in those key moments that can get us over the line.

“If we weren’t putting ourselves in positions, it would be a far more difficult place to be. The effort is there, and you can’t fault the effort.

"But it’s just the key moments when you need someone to step up. Everybody is trying, there’s no question about that.”

Yorkshire now face a month’s break from the Championship, with their T20 campaign starting on Saturday at Birmingham Bears.

The club is waiting to discover whether IPL stars David Wiese and Harry Brook will be available for the match at Edgbaston.

Yorkshire return to Championship action on June 11 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield. As much as any game could be said to be a must-win, that game surely is.

Yorkshire CCC coach Ottis Gibson takes the positives as latest County Championship defeat cranks up the pressure