Yorkshire batsmen in control at last

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 4th May - Notts v Yorkshire (Trent Bridge)

Day one of this Championship match saw Yorkshire win the toss and decide to bat first.

With a very short boundary on one side, due we were told to preparations of the test match wicket, Yorkshire were able to take full advantage. Lyth and Sayers put on an unbroken century partnership before lunch, with their individual scores keeping pace with each other for once. However both were out for well made fifties soon after the interval.

Root and Gale joined forces to repair the damage and did so very positively with a century partnership,until Gale was out for 32. Jonathon Bairstow joined Root and the two youngsters batted solidly for the rest of the day, not taking chances and really never looking in trouble against a Notts bowling attack looking below par. We learned later that three of their bowlers started the game with injuries and they were already missing Charlie Shreck who bowled so well at Headingley recently.

After tea I decided to call in at Derby on the way home, where the home side were entertaining Leeds/Bradford University. It is normally an expensive business going to Derby, with an admission charge of £15, and no concessions,together with another £5 to park your car. However today for the University game it was free admission !

Interesting to see the new lay out of the ground, with the wickets having been turned round, as is being done at Old Trafford. Also a new stand and hospitality tent and a general air of improvement all round. I saw the end of the Derbyshire innings for 305. Dan Redfern making a good 82 and Khawaja, the Australian test player 58. Best bowler for the university was acting captain Joe Leach with 5-50.

Thursday 5th May

Back to Trent Bridge this morning, together with my wife for her favourite tour de shops. Joe Root was not out 89 overnight and all the Yorkshire supporters present were willing him to get his maiden century. Unfortunately it was not to be as on 95 he edged a ball to the wicket keeper. However his time will come very soon I would think.

Bairstow meanwhile looked the picture of composure despite a sudden clatter of wickers as the ball began to swing in the heavy, overcast conditions. Brophy went for 0, Rashid for 4 and Pyrah for 9 in quick succession, before Shahzad began to give Bairstow some support. At one stage it looked as though Bairstow might not get his much wanted first century until after lunch, but with perfect timing just before the interval he hit Patel for two fours to go to 99 and then hit a single off the next ball to go to a well deserved hundred.

The sun came out in the afternoon, to mirror the very hot conditions of the previous day and Yorkshire went from strength to strength. Shahzad had gone for 18 with the score 383-8, but Ryan Sidebottom, with his new found batting confidence dropped anchor and for the next hour or so just played forward defensively with a very straight bat while Bairstow got on with the scoring.

There was a quiet period during mid afternoon, when the batsmen seemed uncertain as to whether a declaration was coming. Then Bairstow hit Patel for two sixes to the short leg side boundary and momentum was regained. Sidebottom also started to play shots, although he was unable to give Bairstow the strike as he approached his double hundred just before tea. In the last over before the interval with Bairstow on 199, Sdebottom hit two fours but could not manage a single to give his parter the strike.

After tea Bairstow did the job with another six - a marvellous double century to silence his critics who felt he could not go on to play a big innings. He was out immediately and Yorkshire declared on 534-9. with Sidebottom, who yet again played such a valuable part, on 45 not out.

Time again to leave with a view to calling in at Barnsley on the way home, as text messages from David Thorpe had alerted me to a Yorkshire collapse this morning to 26-6 chasing Notts seconds score of 481. As I was hoping to spend the day there on Friday, I needed to know whether it was going to be worth the effort.

On arrival the sky was overcast and dark, but Yorkshire had improved their first innings score to 184 and were following on, but making a good job of it with Geldart and Lees doing well. Soon after our arrival the drizzle started - our first rain for a very long time - and the players came off. At least we should get a good day's play tomorrow.