Nottinghamshire are relegated with that defeat to Middlesex.
A swift single from Simpson (58*) completes victory for Middlesex and confirms Nottinghamshire's relegation to Division 2. #NottsvMiddx
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 9, 2016
All over here in emphatic fashion. Chris Rushworth, Durham’s last man, had his middle and leg stumps removed by a Jack Brooks yorker to confirm a 228-run win and 23 points for Yorkshire. They will be one point behind Middlesex (barring one of the most dramatic collapses in Championship history at Trent Bridge) with two rounds of matches remaining.
Season-best figures for the hirsute Ryan Sidebottom - his fourth victim, Michael Richardson, slashed to first slip - sets me up nicely for a story about David Hopps, once of this parish. Hopps popped to the Headingley shops for one of his £4.50 hair cut. He was told: We’re shutting for lunch. He could hardly contain his incredulity. “It wouldn’t have delayed the lunch long,” he whinged upon his return. You’ll know this if you are familiar with his dome. Cue another press box wag: “Does the £4.50 include a search fee?”
Durham 165-8. 52 overs remain.
Ryan Sidebottom’s three wickets in 18 balls - the last of them, Paul Collingwood, offering no shot - threatened to wrap this match up before lunch. However, Graham Clark and Michael Richardson have spent an hour together and their resistance means that is not now a possibility.
Yorkshire will not want to expend too much energy wrapping things up, as their next match, against Somerset, starts here on Monday. They will have Adil Rashid back for that match with a call on the leg-spinner’s availability for the Middlesex finale to come next week. Two other England players Liam Plunkett and David Willey are available for both matches, although there is no guarantee they will be picked.
Meanwhile, in Nottingham, Nick Compton appears to be hard set at the crease. He’s still there on 63, and Middlesex require 90 runs with six wickets standing.
Further to the news about Ben Stokes, he will be cleared to play in Durham’s final two matches, against Surrey and Hampshire, which is great for the Championship as well as the club. ECB are expected to confirm that later today. I also expect Mark Wood to play some part, although maybe just one game rather than both.
On the field, Durham have plunged deeper into trouble courtesy of two wickets in six balls from Ryan Sidebottom. First, nightwatchman Graham Onions, who batted a full morning session in the role last week, drove loosely to cover. Then, Scott Borthwick was unpicked by the perfect arc of an away swinger and adjudged lbw. Durham 56-5.
Durham begin their fourth-day salvage operation at Headingley with some positive news.
Victory is extremely unlikely - they resume on 39 for three, having been set 421 by Championship-chasing Yorkshire - so a prolonged rearguard appears their best option of adding further points here.
Scott Borthwick, one of the unbeaten batsman, is yet to decide where his future lies (Surrey have offered a new home) although Ben Stokes has committed to the club by signing a new one-year deal.
“Ben is one of the finest players in world cricket and we’re delighted he has chosen to carry on his county career with Durham,” said the club’s chief executive David Harker. “He is approaching the prime years of his career and while we may not see him as much as we would like over the next year, his influence remains huge around the club. Ben is a shining example of what our young players can achieve with hard work and dedication to go alongside talent.”
This could prove to be a pivotal day in the Division One title race. Yorkshire will be one point behind Middlesex if both teams win their matches, although there are several outcomes possible. Yorkshire could be as many as 15 points ahead. If Durham hold out, and Middlesex complete their chase of 235 against bottom club Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge (they are currently 48 for three) then the current leaders will be 12 points to the good heading into next week’s penultimate round of matches.
Elsewhere, Hampshire can move out of the relegation zone and potentially as high as fifth in the table, by bowling out Surrey at the Kia Oval. The home team resume on 23 without loss, needing a further 230 runs to make Hampshire bat again.
Morning all,
After Somerset tied up their victory over Warwickshire yesterday, we are down to one fixture today: Yorkshire v Durham. Here is Richard Gibson’s report on how things stand at Headingley:
