Tykes settle on Trent Bridge draw

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Trent Bridge:
CLOSE OF PLAY, FINAL DAY: Match Drawn. Yorkshire 256 and 269-2, Nottinghamshire 301-7 (Notts 11pts, Yorks 9pts)

Match scorecard

Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire played out a dull Trent Bridge draw which left the visitors still under threat of relegation at the foot of the table.

Yorkshire began the day 173 ahead on 269-2 with eight second innings wickets in hand and the onus on skipper Anthony McGrath to try and engineer a result.

But, despite Notts' title aspirations, the two sides could not agree a target.

And the game died a death as the Tykes made no attempt to try and force a result, limping on to 518-8 declared.

The result leaves second-placed Notts on 168 points, 27 behind Durham.

Notts clearly believe that, although Durham have a game in hand, their best chance of overhauling the reigning champions depends on this week's head-on clash between first and second at the Riverside (9-12 September, 1030-1730 BST).

Yorkshire move out of the relegation zone on 136 points, but having played a game more than fellow strugglers Sussex and Hampshire. And they may yet find themselves rueing their Trent Bridge tactics come season's end.

Even though the two captains could not come to an agreement on a fourth innings run-chase, Yorkshire could still have gone on the attack in an attempt to force the pace ahead of a declaration.

Instead, McGrath and Andrew Gale employed bemusing tactics which saw them add only 68 runs in 31 overs in the morning, offering a dead bat to the Notts bowlers.

And spectators were instead left with the unedifying sight of part-time bowler Alex Hales sending down 20 overs.

Scott Newman turned his arm for six overs, while captain Chris Read demonstrated what he thought of the situation after lunch when he took off his wicketkeeping gear to enjoy an over himself.

Jonathan Bairstow made 82, his fourth half century in 10 Championship matches, and Richard Pyrah weighed in with an unbeaten 50 before the game was brought to a merciful close.