Play has come to a close at Headingley (with Jamie’s report to follow)
CLOSE: Somerset end the day 44/2 and trail Yorkshire by 237 runs #YORKSvSOM
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 2, 2015
Somerset 44-2 at the close
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) September 2, 2015
But, there will be a few more balls delivered at New Road...
Play to resume at New Road with 7.3 overs to be bowled from 6.45pm
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) September 2, 2015
Updated
Jamie Bowman reports: Yorkshire 391 all out; Somerset 110
Yorkshire’s innings has come to a somewhat surprising end here at Headingley with the sight of Jonny Bairstow’s middle stump flying out of the ground with the 25-year-old the last man out for a quite brilliant 91. With Ryan Sidebottom, a pretty decent number 11 at the other end, the majority of the crowd were expecting a declaration as soon as Bairstow reached his century.
But it was not to be and Yorkshire will now have just over an hour to go some considerable way towards wrapping up this game with a day to spare as they defend a lead of 281 after being dismissed for 391.
It’s been a tough day for Somerset and Craig Overton deserves some considerable plaudits. He finished with 4-64 off 28 overs and toiled hard after lunch with the new ball to at least stem the flow of runs in a game which was fast running away from the visitors.
Lewis Gregory picked up the late wickets of James Middlebrook and Jack Brooks and finished with 3-75.
Worcestershire 210 v Sussex 214-3
So after Luke Wright reached four figures for the Championship season and Sussex passed Worcestershire’s first innings total, the players are off for bad light.
We’ve had no rain as of yet, but the covers are on and we’re expecting a heavy deluge any minute now. I had some nice cake from the Ladies Pavilion by the way, which was served to me by a vicar who gave me 50p off because I told him I was writing for the Guardian. “Ah, a noble profession”. Do vicars do sarcasm?
Sussex’s lead is already 14 and, given the way Wright and Brown were going at it, this is a welcome delay for the hosts.
Worcestershire 210 v Sussex 185-3
Tea has just finished here at New Road with Sussex well placed thanks to a fine partnership between Luke Wright and Ben Brown.
The pair seem to enjoy batting together – last season they broke the Sussex record for the sixth wicket partnership with a stand of 335 against Durham. Already in 2015 they have two century partnerships and reconvene after the interval just nine runs away from a third.
Like all good batting partners, their calls for or against runs between the wickets are hard to make out – almost telepathic. On a handful of occasions, Wright drove straight to fielders, yet singles were taken, with Brown backing up well.
While the way they came together was unfortunate with the retirement of Chris Nash after he was struck on the helmet, their progress has been quick and has had Daryl Mitchell looking to run-saving options already.
I can’t be sure of the numbers, mainly because there seems to be some contention over whether Cricket Archive is right (I’ve never been in a position to disagree with it, mind) but apparently Luke Wright is two runs away for 1,000 Championship runs this season.
Updated
Jamie Bowman reports: Yorkshire 300-6 ; Somerset 110.
For the first time in this match Somerset can claim to have had the better of a period of play after fighting back hard with the new ball after lunch.
Dawn finally broke on Steve Patterson’s long stint as nightwatchman when he edged Craig Overton behind for 44 off just the third ball after the break. In fact, in the 20 overs after the new cherry was taken, Yorkshire scored just 50 runs and they’ve lost two wickets since lunch making it hard to argue against the fact that this has been Somerset’s session so far.
Aaron Finch followed Patterson to the pavilion exactly ten overs later for 13 which came as a relief to Marcus Trescothick who had dropped him badly at second slip the ball before. The relief on Overton’s face when the umpire upheld his lbw appeal was visible for all to see as the bowler seems to have spent most of the afternoon shouting “howzat!” He’s been good value for his four wickets.
A quick word about Jonny Bairstow who remains unbeaten here and earlier passed 1,000 Championship runs for the season. He’s scored them off just 13 innings at an average of over 111. That’s not bad going.
Worcestershire 201 v Sussex 112-3
Quick update from New Road to say that Chris Nash has retired hurt after top-edging a hook shot into his helmet.
Charlie Morris was the bowler and it was a quick bouncer that it looked like Nash had read well, seemingly getting into a decent position to swing it into the leg-side.
Immediately after the impact, he turned away and removed his helmet straightaway. The Sussex physio Jon Marrale was quick to respond, running onto the pitch as the Worcestershire fielders and Luke Wright checked on Nash. After a few checks, Nash was escorted off the field and replaced by Ben Brown.
Worcestershire 210 v Sussex 94-3
A breakthrough after lunch and it’s gone to Charlie Morris. The seamer is the quickest in Worcestershire’s attack and the decision to open without him, while a surprise, was justified as Shantry and Leach removed both openers.
Conditions looked to have got a bit easier for batting, as the clouds moved and the sun dropped in for a quick visit. Even so, Matt Machan decided to gift his wicket away by chipping a slower ball from Morris into the hands of Tom Fell at short extra cover.
Nash is still going and, up against Saeed Ajmal, has shown good feet to engineer a nice four, cut square. It is at this moment in his innings this season that Nash gives it away but he and No.5 Luke Wright are playing this steadily. Particularly Wright, who is scoreless after 21 balls faced.
Updated
Jamie Bowman reports, with Yorkshire on 236-4
Lunch here at Headingley and all the talk is of great nightwatchman of the past. Names like Harold Larwood, Alec Tudor and Jason Gillespie are being bandied about thanks to this morning’s performance by Steve Patterson.
Patterson returned to the pavilion unbeaten on 44 from 104 balls after building a fourth wicket partnership of 90 with the slightly more illustrious batting talent of Gary Ballance. It was Ballance rather than Patterson who was the only wicket to fall when Craig Overton used the new ball to good effect and tempted the Zimbabwe-born number three to edge to Marcus Trescothick at second slip for a very good 91. Ballance will be disappointed not to push on and make a century especially after scoring freely in the morning session as he progressed from his overnight score of 49 not out.
Jonny Bairstow joined Patterson at the crease and hit two boundaries before lunch. Yorkshire now have a lead of 126 and with some bad weather forecast for this afternoon they’ll be looking to get a move on against a Somerset side looking devoid of the confidence to make much of a fist of this challenge.
Worcestershire 210 v Sussex 59-2
One of the benefits of global warming and international terrorism is that more and more people are being stationed at leg-slip for Jack Shantry.
For a few overs he had two when he was operating around the wicket to the left-handed Matt Machan. The expansive Scot has tried to hit over the top early on, walking down to the pitch of the ball to hit down the ground and square. He got off the mark with an edge inside Tom Fell at leg-slip and wicketkeeper Ben Cox, which bisected them at a catchable height. While Machan got away with it, Michael Yardy wasn’t so lucky.
Having looked comfortable for his 13, he middled one around the corner, where Fell took a stunning catch, diving high to his right to give Shantry his 50th Division One wicket of the season. Yardy’s opening partner Luke Wells looked scratchy before being squared up by Joe Leach, giving Ben Cox a routine catch behind the stumps.
But it could have been a lot better for Worcestershire and Shantry. In the last over before lunch, Chris Nash was dropped by Alex Gidman at first slip – his second drop of the innings. To be fair to Gidman, he was hampered by Daryl Mitchell at second slip diving across him but Nash has looked in good touch, timing the ball effortlessly behind the covers and backward of point.
Shantry cut a forlorn figure as he traipsed off ahead of his team for lunch. Now he’ll be Shropshire’s maddest man.
Jamie Bowman reports from Yorkshire v Somerset
Nightwatchmen eh? Don’t you just love ‘em. With a highest first class score of 53 and an average of a shade over 16, Steven Patterson is a classic candidate for arguably the most noble job in cricket. He did his job last night in protecting England’s Jonny Bairstow but with an hour gone now at a sun bathed Headingley you suspect even Bairstow might think he’s overstayed his welcome somewhat.
Patterson and Gary Ballance have thoroughly enjoyed themselves this morning moving the score on to 208-3 and sharing a partnership of 75 so far. Ballance has looked increasingly assured as he stakes his claim for a return to the England Test squad and there have been few scares for either batsman with the Zimbabwe-born number three reaching his half century in the second over of the day. He’s moved into the eighties now after targeting spinner Jack Leach and with Patterson continuing along in his merry way, Yorkshire look set for a massive lead.
And... Charlie Morris has just been bowled by Luke Wells. Worcestershire are all out for 210.
Worcestershire 209-9 v Sussex
So, Worcestershire have scraped a batting point. It came up with a single to the man out at deep cover, with Alex Gidman neatly shepherding Charlie Morris for the 15 runs needed this morning. The run took Gidman to his third half-century of the season – this one coming from 104 balls, featuring six fours.
As expected, the field is pushed out to Gidman and tightened when Morris gets on strike, a tactic that’s reversed for the beginning and end of the over in an attempt to have more of a go at the No11.
Gidman has struggled to kick on since leave Worcestershire, though has enjoyed more first-team opportunities than brother Will at Nottinghamshire. He is contracted until the end of next season but, who knows – a sterling finish to the season and he might be allowed an extended stay.
The pitch seems pretty innocuous, with Ben Brown taking a handful of deliveries at shin-height while up to the stumps. Chris Jordan opened up the innings but Chris Nash has decided to go with spin at both ends, with the left-arm tweak of Ashar Zaidi and right-arm all-sorts of Luke Wells.
Jamie Bowman sets up the day from Headingley
Welcome to Headingley where Yorkshire will be looking to increase their stranglehold on this game with relegation-threatened Somerset. All eyes will be on Gary Ballance early doors as the England man seeks the one run he needs to reach his half-century with the leaders 138-3 replying to the visitor’s miserable 110 all out.
Despite being the forgotten man of England’s Ashes triumph, Ballance has surely not played his last Test match and since being dropped by the national selectors he has worked hard to remind them that he’s a batsman of considerable class at County level. A century here today would go some way to securing both a win and maybe his future England chances. The late wicket of Andrew Gale last night who was bowled by Jack Leach in the spinner’s first over has meant Ballance will be joined by a nightwatchman in the form of Steven Patterson.
Although it is currently bright here in Leeds, there is plenty of weather across the country which has affected most of the games being played. At New Road play finished early yesterday with Worcestershire 185-9 after another England hopeful, Chris Jordan, took five wickets. In Division Two champions-elect Lancashire struggled against Kent with the hosts resuming on 235-3 thanks to a century from Rob Key while in Division One there was another low scoring day as Durham were bowled out for 213 before Hampshire closed on 77-3.
Another bright morning at Headingley where Yorkshire resume on 138-3. pic.twitter.com/EMnlmASC0j
— Jamie Bowman (@JamieBowman77) September 2, 2015
Updated
Morning all,
Today we’re back with Vithushan Ehantharajah at New Road for Worcestershire v Sussex and Jamie Bowman at Headingley for Yorkshire v Somerset. Here are their reports from yesterday:
Yorkshire v Somerset
Jack Brooks overcomes nerves to be the scourge of Somerset
It may not be arithmetically possible for Yorkshire to win the County Championship during this game but they had the look of champions elect after an impressive performance with both bat and ball on Tuesday. During a torrid morning session Somerset were reduced to 85 for eight as they failed to cope with devastating opening spells from the new-ball pair of Jack Brooks and Ryan Sidebottom, who dismissed the first five batsmen for single-figure scores.
Worcestershire v Sussex
Chris Jordan puts Sussex on top in relegation clash at Worcester
When Chris Jordan speaks, the words fall effortlessly out of his mouth: that Bajan twang allowing them to linger in the air like a feather dropping to the ground. But when he bowls, the effort is all too evident. The ball is placed purposefully in a vice-like grip that locks his wrist into place. He turns at the bottom of a runup that has been reduced from an excessive 25 strides before a stuttered jog to the front line. When his rhythm is off, he can look like a next generation prototype at a Japanese robotics convention. On Tuesday he looked close to the finished article, taking five for 57 on day one of this Division One relegation clash.
Enjoy the cricket
