Sunshine all the way for Yorkshire

Posted by Tony Hutton

Tuesday 4th May - Yorkshire v Essex at Scarborough

Many Yorkshire supporters, prompted by the side's excellent start to the season, made their way to the seaside swathed in extra layers of clothing as the weather forecast said cloud later with a cold northerly wind off the sea.

Their was a cool breeze out of the sun, but sitting at the press box end of the ground facing the sun the conditions proved ideal for spectators. The cloud did arrive, or threatened to arrive, on cue at lunchtime but fortunately never quite made it to the coastal strip and the sunshine continued for most of the day's play.

Yorkshire again took advantage of winning the toss and apart from the early loss of Joe Sayers caught at slip made steady progress all day. A rare sighting of Alastair Cook, the England opener, for once free of international duties. He took the catch but later dropped one off McGrath which proved very costly.

The start was put back for half an hour to accomodate the visitors, who, poor things, had to travel last night from Leek in the depths of Staffordshire, where they had been playing Derbyshire in a one day game. I don't suppose the start was ever delayed in the good old days when Yorkshire had to make journies like Scarborough to Hove or Middlesborough to Taunton.

Adam Lythe, playing on his home ground, made his customary bold start and it was a suprise when the Dutchman Ten Doeschate, who made a very quick century yesterday, just removed his bails for 47. Rudolph then carried on in fine form after his double century last week, hitting some splendid shots all along the ground and again it was quite a suprise when the same bowler had him caught and bowled low down for 45.

The three main pace bowlers, Masters (who gets a lot of wickets), Martin (the New Zealander) and Wright all bowled well with plenty of bounce and bowled a good number of maiden overs. However the highlight of the day proved to be a splendid partnership between the former captain, Anthony McGrath, and the new captain, Andrew Gale.

McGrath initially was more circumspect but Gale set about him from the word go, going to 50 in only 47 balls with a series of powerful boundaries and one huge six when the spinner Phillips was introduced. McGrath, after a not entirely convincing century last week, played a far more fluent innings peppered with boundaries. So Yorkshire ended a good day on 313-3 with promise of plenty more to come tomorrow.

The Scarborough ground is always a place for overhearing humourous conversation, as if the holiday atmosphere, especially when booked in for three or four nights, loosens the tongues of the mainly serious cricket watchers.

Some quotes from today - 'Have you got a good room ?' - 'Yes and there's a bed in it this time'.

One group berated for their late arrival replied - 'We got delayed by the points in York and were diverted via the Angel pub'.

'I've got a scorebook for your' - the ubiquitous John Taplin, wishing to make a donation to the University cricket archive.

'Why aren't I mentioned in your book' - John Taplin again.