Wednesday 24th July at Leeds University ground, Weetwood where Yorkshire and Lancashire under 17s were into day two of their three day game. Lancashire had batted first on Tuesday and despite a century from Ali Chugtai, who had helped win the one day game here earlier in the season, their total of 240 all out was perhaps somewhat below par. The two Sullivan brothers were again the major wicket takers, Josh with 3-38 and Harry 2-8, although all rounder Dominic Leech had seen off two batsmen very early on.
Yorkshire had also lost two early wickets last night but captain James Wharton played the innings of the match in his very correct style, nearly always hitting the ball along the ground for a score of 146, which included 25 fours. Nobody else contributed a lot until number seven Vikram Sharma helped Wharton put on 50 for the sixth wicket. As the Lancashire bowlers tired in the very hot conditions, the last wicket pair of Harrison Quarmby and Josh Sullivan put on a further fifty runs to take Yorkshire past the 300 mark before declaring on 308-9.
Dominic Leech again had a wonderful opening spell getting rid of both Lancashire openers, including first innings century maker Chugtai. The visitors proved that they had batting in depth and all the Yorkshire bowlers stuggled in the heat on day three. The spinners could make little impression and it was left to Sedbergh schoolboy, George Hill, to come to the rescue with a fine spell of pace bowling to get rid of the stubborn middle order. Hill finished with 4-79 from 23 overs, which was quite an achievement for a quick bowler in such hot conditions.
Frustration got to Yorkshire when yet another last wicket partnership between Qasim Shah and Jake Hill put on no less than 86 and it looked as though Yorkshire might run out of time until Dominic Leech returned to bowl last man Hill for 40, with Shah 54 not out never looking in trouble. Lancashire all out 262 leaving Yorkshire needing 195 to win in just under three hours.
This proved to be no walk over for the home side as nobody played a big innings, Wharton top scored with 36 but wickets kept falling with several batsmen reaching the twenties but going no further. Jack Morley, the left arm spinner, looked as though he could win the match with three wickets after a controversial incident when Harry Duke appeared to tread on his wicket and dislodge a bail. The Lancashire fielders were incensed and complained loud and long but the umpire had obviously not seen the incident and could not give him out.
Shortly afterwards he did hit his own wicket and was out. The next drama came with a sudden downpour of rain with just ten overs remaining and 21 runs require. It rained quite hard but only for a few minutes. The covers were soon whisked away and play re-started, but Yorkshire had lost three overs and now had only 6.1 overs remaining. The two batsmen Dominic Leech and Archie Greaves soon settled matters with a series of fours to win the game by three wickets. So a double Roses victory for Yorkshire this week but not without a lot of hard work.
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