Yorkshire v Warwickshire: Notts loss provides Yorkshire with extra impetus

IT would seem a little premature to be concentrating intently on results elsewhere as Yorkshire pursue their first County Championship title since 2001.

But events at Chelmsford yesterday felt almost as important to Yorkshire as those at Headingley Carnegie, where they strengthened their grip against a Warwickshire team they hope will succumb at some point today.

Nottinghamshire's surprise 143-run defeat away to Essex represented a significant blow to Yorkshire's main title rivals and effectively erased one of their two matches in hand.

With Nottinghamshire managing just three points from their game at the County Ground, Yorkshire will establish a

21-point advantage at the top of the table if they go on to complete their fourth Championship win of the season on the final day in Leeds.

As Yorkshire still have to play Nottinghamshire twice, their destiny remains very much in their own hands as they seek to defy pre-season predictions of a success-starved campaign. Those matches against Chris Read's men – at Headingley (August 3-6) and at Trent Bridge (September 7-10) – could well determine the destiny of the pennant, although the likes of Lancashire, Somerset and Durham will still believe they can get their hands on the coveted silverware.

If Yorkshire are to follow in the footsteps of David Byas's class of nine years ago, however, it would seem essential they win this sort of match against a Warwickshire team which, on all available evidence, will do well to stay in Division One.

Warwickshire's batting – more brittle than a badly-decayed tooth – has shown some resilience in this fixture but, on the whole, remains overwhelmingly unreliable.

Yorkshire's hopes of a much-needed victory were significantly raised yesterday morning when they succeeded in their efforts to make Warwickshire follow-on.

Resuming on 221-7 in reply to Yorkshire's first innings 425, Warwickshire were dismissed for 253 as Steve Patterson captured the last three wickets with some fine bowling from the Kirkstall Lane end.

Patterson, one of the plus points of the season so far, had Neil Carter caught by Tino Best at mid-off and then removed Imran Tahir with the aid of a leaping Richard Pyrah at point.

When Boyd Rankin fell lbw to a full-ish delivery, Patterson had

4-57 from 22 overs which, allied to Adil Rashid's 4-71 from 29 overs, ensured Yorkshire did not waste the platform of a first innings total founded on Gerard Brophy's fluent century.

Not even Warwickshire seemed likely to fare as badly second time around and so it proved in cloudy, breezy conditions.

They suffered an early setback when Darren Maddy was bowled by Rashid, who earlier put down Ian Westwood at second slip with the score on seven after Oliver Hannon-Dalby induced an outside edge. But Westwood and Ant Botha steadied the ship with a second-wicket partnership of 56 before Botha tickled one behind off Rashid.

In Rashid's next over, Westwood went lbw for 42 and Warwickshire were in some discomfort on 83-3.

Rikki Clarke, who ran out of partners in the first innings after making 46 from 112 balls, continued to frustrate Yorkshire as they laboured in vain to complete victory inside three days.

Strong all around the wicket and particularly so in the arc between mid-on and mid-off, Clarke mixed sensible aggression with redoubtable defence to help Warwickshire erase their deficit.

Clarke launched off-spinner Azeem Rafiq for six over long-on and later lofted Rashid for a straight six into the Rugby Stand, the ball ricocheting around the vacant white seats like a pinball.

Jim Troughton hung around for over an hour before being forced to retire hurt after he was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Best, the sixth bowler used by acting captain Jacques Rudolph, who is seeking his first win in charge of Yorkshire at the 11th attempt.

Best's on-field behaviour is not to everyone's taste but, to his credit, the West Indian seemed more concerned than anyone about Troughton's welfare, the batsman leaving the field clutching a bright blue towel to his forehead.

Troughton went to hospital for treatment on a nasty cut above his right eye but is expected to bat today.

Following Troughton's unfortunate departure, Ateeq Javid showed plenty of character and no little aptitude to score an unbeaten 37 before rain ended play with 10 overs remaining.

Clarke remains undefeated on 51 and his swift removal today would seem imperative if Yorkshire – 21 behind – are to prevail.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Adil Rashid

The leg-spinner raised Yorkshire's victory hopes with three second innings wickets.

LV County Championship

Division One

Yorkshire v Warwickshire

Headingley Carnegie: Warwickshire (5pts) lead Yorkshire (8) by 21 with 7 second inns wkts standing.

Overnight: Yorkshire 425, Warwickshire 221-7.

Yorkshire First Innings

A Lyth lbw b Carter 84

J A Rudolph c Clarke b Carter 0

A McGrath c Maddy b Carter 57

J M Bairstow lbw b Piolet 44

G L Brophy c Botha b Clarke 103

A U Rashid lbw b Carter 29

R M Pyrah not out 45

Rafiq c Piolet b Clarke 12

S A Patterson run out 14

T L Best c Piolet b Rankin 2

OJ Hannon-Dalby c Westwood b Imran Tahir 0

Extras b13 lb16 nb6 35

Total (124.5 overs) 425

Fall: 1-5 2-153 3-156 4-256 5-325 6-345 7-369 8-414 9-424.

Bowling: Carter 30 7 87 4; Rankin 20 4 73 1; Clarke 24 8 63 2; Piolet 15 3 67 1; Imran Tahir 21.5 3 73 1; Maddy 10 4 18 0; Botha 4 0 15 0.

Warwickshire First Innings

I J Westwood lbw b Rashid 66

D L Maddy lbw b Hannon-Dalby 35

A G Botha c Lyth b Rashid 19

J O Troughton c Lyth b Rashid 22

A Javid lbw b Patterson 1

T R Ambrose b Best 30

R Clarke not out 46

S A Piolet lbw b A U Rashid 6

N M Carter c Best b Patterson 15

Imran Tahir c Pyrah b Patterson 1

W B Rankin lbw b Patterson 0

Extras b5 lb7 12

Total (82 overs) 253

Fall: 1-102 2-104 3-148 4-153 5-153 6-200 7-208 8-237 9-243.

Bowling: Best 7 0 32 1; Patterson 22 6 57 4; Hannon-Dalby 13 5 42 1; Pyrah 6 1 24 0; A U Rashid 29 5 71 4; Rafiq 5 0 15 0.

Warwickshire Second Innings

I J Westwood lbw b A U Rashid 42

D L Maddy b A U Rashid 16

A G Botha c Brophy b A U Rashid 24

R Clarke not out 51

J O Troughton retd hurt 17

Javeed not out 37

Extras b2 lb3 w1 6

Total 3 wkts (67 overs) 193

Fall: 1-26 2-82 3-83.

Bowling: Hannon-Dalby 10 3 23 0; Patterson 7 1 15 0; A U Rashid 17 0 69 3; Rafiq 13 4 31 0; Pyrah 6 2 19 0; Best 9 1 28 0; McGrath 5 3 3 0.

Umpires: M J D Bodenham and J W Lloyds.