Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire: Unselfish Gale rejects chance of crack at Hirst’s record

His overwhelming emotion will be rightly one of pride; this was a superlative innings – the second-highest in first-class cricket at Scarborough, the third-highest by a Yorkshire batsman since the war behind Darren Lehmann’s 339 against Durham in 2006 and Martyn Moxon’s 274 not out against Worcestershire in 1994, and the 13th-highest in Yorkshire history.

At the same time, Gale might reflect that neither he nor anyone else is ever likely to have a better chance of eclipsing the highest individual innings in that eminent history, the 341 by George Hirst against Leicestershire at Aylestone Road in 1905.

For on the final day of a dead game on a flat pitch against a run-down attack, Gale effectively gave his wicket away seeking quick runs to try to give his side a faint chance of bowling out Nottinghamshire and winning the game.

It never happened and was never likely to happen, seeing that Yorkshire led by only 129 with a maximum of 46 overs remaining when the declaration came.

Not that Gale’s declaration could possibly be faulted; his aim going into the day was always to set Nottinghamshire a nuisance challenge, which is what he did.

Gale plays for trophies, not personal records, and yet it was still a shame that he could not have carried on further towards Hirst and possibly beyond him.

Once he got to 250, he began hitting out, betraying scant regard for such personal ambitions.

Gale, who scored 62 more runs in this innings than he had managed in his previous nine in the Championship all summer, began the day on 159 with his side 358-4 in reply to Nottinghamshire’s 443.

He took his fifth-wicket stand with Gary Ballance – who resumed on 103 – to 297 in 83 overs before Ballance fell midway through the morning, under-edging Paul Franks to wicketkeeper Chris Read after making 141, his highest score for Yorkshire.

The partnership was Yorkshire’s third-highest for the fifth-wicket behind the 340 by Ted Wainwright and Hirst against Surrey at The Oval in 1899, and the 329 by Wainwright and Frank Mitchell against Leicestershire at Leicester in the same year.

It was only just short of Yorkshire’s highest stand for any wicket at Scarborough, the 302 for the second wicket by Willie Watson and Vic Wilson against Derbyshire in 1948.

Ballance, who faced 265 balls and struck 19 fours, was succeeded by Adil Rashid, who went into the game averaging 254.

That dropped to 166 when he departed for an 11th ball duck, slapping Luke Fletcher to Ed Cowan at cover.

Gale and Andrew Hodd added 121 in 24 overs, the captain progressing to his double hundred from 349 deliveries after surviving four successive scares on 199 against Ajmal Shahzad.

The former Yorkshire pace bowler almost had him caught behind twice and also lbw, while Gale nearly ran himself out when he turned Shahzad to gully before being sent back.

Gale was dropped on 250 by Shahzad on long-on off Samit Patel, the ball flying through the fielder’s hands for six, before he finally skied the spinner to point, where Read raced round to judge a good catch.

After Hodd was caught at backward-point, Yorkshire pulled out on 572-8, their highest total against Nottinghamshire, who then lost Alex Hales in the sixth over, lbw to Steve Patterson.

Ryan Sidebottom had fellow opener Cowan dropped on one by Adam Lyth at second slip, the Australian going on to 53 and Michael Lumb to 47 as Nottinghamshire proceeded to 105-1 and inevitable parity.

Scarborough’s top five knocks

317 Ken Rutherford, New Zealanders v DB Close’s XI 1986

272 Andrew Gale, Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire 2013

266* Jack Hobbs, Players v Gentlemen 1925

241 Len Hutton, Players v Gentlemen 1953

233 Phil Mead, MCC Australian Touring Team v Lord Hawke’s XI 1929