COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Chelmsford:
Essex 399 & 229-3 dec drew with Yorkshire 324 & 333-7
Essex 10pts, Yorkshire 8pts
Match scorecard

James Foster stumps Adam Lyth but Essex and Yorkshire had to settle for a draw

Yorkshire stay top of the County Championship after an exciting draw against Essex at Chelmsford.

Essex declared on 293-6 after Alastair Cook completed a century, setting Yorkshire a target of 369 to win.

At 218-3 the visitors sniffed victory, and even after Jacques Rudolph was bowled by Tim Phillips for 106, Yorkshire continued to chase.

But once Johnny Bairstow (62 off 66 balls) and Tim Bresnan were out, the Tykes settled for the draw.

While Rudolph was at the crease, the visitors looked to have every chance of reaching their target, set off a minimum of 83 overs.

Adam Lyth and Rudolph had launched the run-chase with a useful 79 run partnership before Lyth was stumped for 42.

The South African reached his century from 144 deliveries that included ten boundaries, and his third-wicket partnership with Andrew Gale put on 93 in 31 overs for the third wicket.

Gale was eventually bowled by spinner Tom Westley for 41 and, when Rudolph was bowled by slow left-armer Phillips for 106, the visitors were 218-4 needing a further 151 in 23 overs.

Bairstow and Gerard Brophy picked up the gauntlet, posting 92 in 15 overs, but then three wickets fell in 16 deliveries.

Brophy (28) was the victim of a superb two-handed diving catch by Matt Walker at cover off the bowling of Chris Wright and two balls later, the same bowler had Bairstow caught at wide long-on to leave the visitors 315-6.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on Yorkshire's draw with Essex

Needing another 54 from six overs, they opted for survival as Essex now sensed the chance of victory and snared Tim Bresnan, stumped off Grant Flower, to raise their hopes.

But Adil Rashid and Steven Patterson held out for the final five overs against a field gathered round the bat as Yorkshire finished 36 runs short of victory.

Earlier Cook completed his century by adding ten runs to his overnight score, but he was out immediately afterwards when pulling a delivery from Bresnan into the hands of Bairstow at deep square leg.

Although it was the England left-hander's 25th first-class century of his career, of which ten have been made for Essex, it was the 25-year-old's first for his county since May 2007.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version