Elegant Rashid keeps Yorks title hopes alive

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Scarborough:
Yorkshire 322-9 Hampshire 8-0
Yorkshire 3pts, Hampshire 3pts
Match scorecard

Rashid is averaging over 50 in the Championship this season

A determined innings of 76 from all-rounder Adil Rashid helped Yorkshire recover from 141-5 to 322-9 dec against Hampshire at Scarborough.

Opener Adam Lyth hit 63, but no other Yorkshire batsman passed 50 until Rashid dug in.

Veteran Hampshire all-rounder Dominic Cork took 5-64, and after the first day was lost to rain, Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale declared early.

Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams were unbeaten as Hampshire closed on 8-0.

Test selector James Whitaker was watching as Lyth received his county cap before the start of the match.

With every point vital for Yorkshire in their quest for the title they were given a promising start by Lyth and Jacques Rudolph, who put on 61 in 18 overs. Rudolph had already hit David Balcombe for three fours and a two when he flayed at a wide one and was caught behind by Michael Bates, the first of four victims for the 19-year-old wicketkeeper.

Lyth moved to his half-century but after striking 13 boundaries and receiving 106 balls he could not avoid making glove contact with a Cork bouncer.

In the same over, Cork found the edge of McGrath's bat and left-armer James Tomlinson, who had bowled well in his first spell without reward, had Andrew Gale giving a low catch to Neil McKenzie at second slip.

When Jonny Bairstow fell lbw to Cork, four wickets had fallen for 15 runs in six overs. But Gerard Brophy and Rashid repaired the damage with a seventh wicket stand of 111 during which Rashid struck Sean Ervine for three consecutive boundaries.

Brophy was superbly caught by Jimmy Adams at backward point while slashing at Cork, and any chance of Rashid managing a well-deserved century ended when Ervine got a delivery to shoot through low and trap him lbw after facing 131 balls and hitting 12 fours.

Tim Bresnan, who joins up with England at Lord's tomorrow, became Cork's fifth victim before Steve Patterson fell to Balcombe.

Bresnan will now be replaced by Richard Pyrah.