Yorkshire v Hampshire - Day Two close: Game finely poised as every run counts and Jordan Thompson’s haul keeps Yorkshire in it

YORKSHIRE have lost enough supporters in recent times due to the Covid situation and the racism travesty to be losing any more to involuntary mishap.

When Joe Weatherley punched a ball from Jordan Thompson towards the point boundary in front of the popular bank here yesterday, George Hill chased after it with full-blown commitment and, as he slid in feet first, took out a young lad with blond hair, a grey and blue top and black trousers, who was standing no more than a couple of feet behind the boundary.

It could have been a leg-breaker for either individual and an automatic red card for Hill on VAR, but, on a second day when rain claimed 33 overs and the outfield was slippy, thankfully ended in smiles all round after the lad finished up on top of Hill, leaving both of them wedged up against the old wooden benches.

Hill helped the youngster to his feet, patted him on the back and the lad returned to the bosom of his friends as though nothing had happened, with memories to last a lifetime of the day when he had an unexpectedly close encounter with a Yorkshire cricketer.

It was the second time in quick succession that a Yorkshire player had given his all for the cause. Moments earlier, Thompson had rearranged some of the pin-striped deckchairs in front of the white marquee on the opposite side of the ground while diving to prevent a boundary. In a low-scoring game such as this, with Yorkshire 23-1 in their second innings, a deficit of 36 after Hampshire were dismissed for 218, every run counts and every stop and save is of paramount importance.

If grass stains on trousers are any barometer of effort, then Yorkshire’s could not be faulted as they clawed themselves back into a match which, at 33-6 on the opening day, seemed to be speeding away from them faster than a sliding tackle by Hill.

Despite the best efforts of the weather, which has already claimed two sessions’ worth of cricket, this game has been nothing if not entertaining.

First came Yorkshire’s descent to the aforementioned 33-6, then a seventh-wicket partnership of 116 between Will Fraine and Dom Bess followed by the loss of the final four wickets for 10 runs, Steve Patterson and Jordan Thompson falling inside the first 11 balls yesterday to Kyle Abbott after Yorkshire resumed on 158-8, the South African ending with 6-35.

With Fraine scoring 53 and Bess 67, and no one else reaching double figures in Yorkshire’s lowest total of the season, it gave the scorecard the look of a sorry twist on the numbers game on the television show Countdown. “Two large numbers, please, Carol, and then nine small ones.”

Hampshire dealt in similar values as they slipped to 12-3 in reply either side of two rain interruptions. Ben Coad struck with his 11th ball of an injury-hit summer when Ian Holland was squared-up and caught by Hill at fourth slip; Felix Organ played around a full one from Thompson and was lbw, and Coad struck again when Nick Gubbins was lured forward and lbw.

Patterson took two wickets in quick succession to leave Hampshire 52-5, Weatherley plumb lbw and James Vince caught at first slip. Thompson then had Liam Dawson caught at first slip but, from 72-6, Hampshire produced some seventh-wicket heroics of their own, Ben Brown and Keith Barker sharing 88 in 94 deliveries as Yorkshire’s bowling lost control.

Barker played some handsome strokes en route to a run-a-ball 52 with nine boundaries, including a six off Coad over long-on to the Trafalgar Square end. Moments earlier, Coad dropped him on 43 running in from long-leg off Thompson, who got his man eventually when Barker skewed a leading edge to substitute fielder Will Luxton at cover, the bowler’s 100th first-class wicket.

Number 101 followed when Brown, one ball after reaching his half-century from 75 deliveries with six fours, nibbled at one and was caught behind, leaving Hampshire 175-8.

Yorkshire dropped another chance when Matty Revis spilled James Fuller on six off Thompson coming in front deep point, not the easiest of opportunities with the sun in his eyes.

Patterson claimed his third when Abbott was caught at first slip, and the innings ended when Tom Kohler-Cadmore took his fourth catch in that area - albeit this time jogging back - when Fuller skied Thompson, who walked off with 5-60.

Hill was lbw for a duck for the second time but Adam Lyth and Kohler-Cadmore averted further damage in an evening blessed with the day’s best weather.

Play did not finish until 7.02pm, leaving anyone with tickets to watch Tom Jones in action at Scarborough Open Air Theatre cutting it fine to say the least.