COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Old Trafford:
CLOSE OF PLAY, FINAL DAY: Match Drawn. Yorkshire 181 and 354-4, Lancashire 489-5 dec (Lancs 12pts, Yorks 5pts)

Lancashire's hopes of staying in the County Championship title race were dealt a blow by old rivals Yorkshire.

Yorkshire pair Jacques Rudolph and Andrew Gale both hit centuries as the Tykes denied Lancashire a Roses Match victory by batting all day.

Resuming at 70-2, Rudolph hit 127 in a match-saving third-wicket stand of 218 with Gale (121).

Jonny Bairstow (45) and Gerard Brophy then saw their side to safety before hands were finally shaken on 354-4.

With only six games left, that leaves Lancashire 51 points behind leaders Durham, who they must now beat at Old Trafford next week to stand any chance of that first outright title since 1934.

But, despite the obdurate Gale's second century against Lancashire at Old Trafford in successive seasons, Yorkshire are still rooted firmly in a relegation battle.

While it was Rudolph's third Championship century of the season, for Gale this was his second. And it would have been especially sweet after he was out for 99 against Nottinghamshire at Scarborough last week, in another match-saving effort.

Lancashire bossed this game for the first three days of this fixture and were confident of claiming the remaining eight wickets they needed today. But they rarely looked like making the breakthrough in time to press for their fourth win of the season.

Rudolph offered a sharp chance to Mal Loye at short leg off the bowling of Keedy while on 107. But, by that time, the Yorkshire pair had already broken their county's record for a third-wicket partnership at Old Trafford.

Lancashire now face a vital fortnight in their season.

Following Tuesday night's Pro40 clash with Northants at Wantage Road (1640 BST), they then take on Hampshire at The Rose Bowl on Thursday. And they will then again have just another day's break before hosting that crucial clash against reigning county champions Durham on 11 August.

Mark Chilton will continue to deputise for injured skipper Glen Chapple, who is again missing for the Northants game a he nurses a foot injury.

Stand-in Lancashire skipper Luke Sutton told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We were always in control and played exceptionally well for the first three days.

"And we thought, if we got one of them early, we'd have run through them.

"But today we did not get the chances. the wicket died a death and Rudolph and Gale batted exceptionally well.

"They played Gary Keedy a bit better this morning than they did last night."

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