COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Trent Bridge:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Yorkshire 256 and 269-2, Nottinghamshire 301-7 (Notts 7pts, Yorks 5pts)

Yorkshire's Jacques Rudolph hit his fourth Championship ton of 2009

A huge stand between Yorkshire openers Jacques Rudolph and Joe Sayers has left the match with Nottinghamshire nicely poised going into the final day.

After conceding a 96-run lead on first innings, the pair then put on 244 as Yorkshire replied on 269-2.

Rudolph made 149, backed by 86 from Sayers, both men eventually dismissed by Paul Franks, who earlier finished on 64 as Notts were bowled out for 352.

Yorkshire, battling relegation, lead by 173 against title-chasing Notts.

And that will leave Tykes skipper Anthony McGrath with a dilemma on Sunday morning.

He can direct his team to bat out time on an increasingly easy pitch and claim the extra four points from a draw.

Or he can declare and set a competitive target for Notts, who urgently need to win to the keep the County Championship race alive - ahead of their trip to the Riverside to face leaders Durham next week.

Notts pressed on from their overnight 301-7 to reach 352, earning a fourth batting point and a 96-run first-innings lead. But they then ran into Rudolph and the stoic Sayers.

South African Rudolph hit 22 fours from 236 balls in reaching his fourth Championship ton of 2009.

Fellow left-hander Sayers was predictably slower and less boundary-powered in his nonetheless valuable knock, which took him close to his 1,000 runs for the season.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version