Yorkshire continue their fight to avoid relegation after they could only draw their LV Championship match against Warwickshire at Scarborough - but there were two heartening events for the home side towards the end.

Joe Sayers picked up his first three wickets in First Class cricket, and Jacques Rudolph completed 1,000 Championship runs for the season.

Day 4 began well for Yorkshire when Ajmal Shahzad struck with the third ball - but the game appeared to be heading towards a draw at lunch when the visitors were 197-4, leading by 189.

Ian Westwood was 58 not out and Ian Bell four when Warwickshire resumed their second innings on 111-2. Bell began with a four and a single, and the captain then edged to third-slip, where Richard Pyrah took a good, low catch.

Once again a day began with several boundaries, and this time it was Bell who kept finding the rope. Tony Frost was quite fortunate when, still to get off the mark, he pushed hard at David Wainwright and Andrew Gale could not hold on to a sharp, reflex chance at short-leg.

Both Troughton and Frost miscued Wainwright quite close to Shahzad - but Troughton had a real escape on 22 when he edged Deon Kruis straight to Rudolph at first slip, and a simple catch was grassed. Four runs later Troughton again played Wainwright towards Rudolph, but this time the ball was to his left, and he was unable make the most of the opportunity. 

Troughton had moved on to 28 by lunch and Frost was 22, the fifth-wicket pair having added 43.Wainwright and Pyrah were in harness as Warwickshire passed 200, and at 213 Hoggard returned with the new ball: Troughton greeted him with a square-cut for four. Frost fastened on to a full-length ball from Hoggard, and cracked it through the covers.

Shahzad took the Trafalgar Square End, and Frost smacked him square for four. Hoggard broke through at 229 to take his first wicket of the match - Troughton bowled on the drive for 40 in 124 balls, including six fours, to end a stand worth 70. New batsman Ambrose forced Shahzad handsomely to the point boundary. Pyrah relieved Hoggard, and Wainwright replaced Shahzad. Ambrose swung Pyrah for four to mid-wicket.

Pyrah took his first wicket of the innings when he drifted one away from Frost, and Brophy took the catch low down. Frost's 48 included six fours in 140 balls, and the partnership was worth 27. The tall Clarke played three flowing straight-drives off Pyrah to the boundary. Clarke swashbuckled his way to 23 off 12 balls with five fours - but at 288 off-spinner Joe Sayers claimed him for his maiden First Class wicket: it was the last ball of Joe's first over - beautifully flighted - and Clarke drove over it.

Sayers did it again: Carter thrashed him through long-off for four - but on the last ball before tea he sliced to Rudolph, and the first slip made no mistake. 304-8. Ambrose was still there on 31, with six fours. First ball after the interval Woakes drove back to Sayers, who could not hold it. Wainwright from the Trafalgar Square End trapped Ambrose in front for 33. 310-9. Enter Sreesanth, who had been receiving treatment for a painful tooth.

Sayers had Sreesanth caught at the wicket at 313 - and so left the field off with a career-best First Class bowling analysis of 3-20. It was also the side's best analysis - Shahzad finishing with 2-57, Wainwright 2-71, McGrath 1-11, Hoggard 1-42 and Pyrah 1-64 and Yorkshire were set to make a notional 306 runs to win in 24 overs. Sreesanth opened the attack - and Rudolph hit his first ball to the cover boundary.

Yorkshire faced eight overs before the players shook hands and called it a day - the hosts finishing on 30-0, with Rudoph not out 21, including five fours - and completing his 1,000 First Class runs for the season - and Sayers not out four. Bell came on at the Pavilion End to twirl two overs...but he did not have the success of Sayers.

DAVID WARNER

Day 3: A fighting unbeaten century from David Wainwright brought Yorkshire three batting-bonus points after they had begun Day 3 of their LV Championship match against Warwickshire at Scarborough on 100-7, and when they were all out for 328 they even enjoyed an eight-run advantage on first innings.

Wainwright, who scored 102 not out batting at No 9, brought back memories of the final match of last season when his maiden century against Sussex at Hove helped save Yorkshire from certain relegation.

Yorkshire also owed a big debt of gratitude to Gerard Brophy, who took his overnight 27 to 85, and to Matthew Hoggard and Deon Kruis for giving valuable support to Wainwright.

Brophy and Wainwright batted all morning in a magnificent eighth-wicket stand which by lunch had added 140 and put Yorkshire back in the match: they had avoided the follow-on and at 239-7 they had reduced the first-innings deficit to 81.

Brophy at the interval stood on 83, his third consecutive Championship half-century, and Wainwright had made 64.

Yorkshire were in deep trouble on 100-7 at the start of the day, when Brophy was 27 and Wainwright yet to score - but the batsman-spinner soon moved into double figures by lifting Sreesanth over the top of the slips for four and cutting the next ball to the boundary rope. Brophy cut and cover-drove Sreesanth for fours with perfect timing, and the Indian suffered again as Wainwright hit consecutive balls high over point and the slips.

Warwickshire captain Ian Westwood was briefly off the field - and a star substitute took over for a while in the form of Allan Donald, the county’s bowling coach. The former South African speed merchant certainly played a part in directing operations.

Brophy completed his 50 off 77 balls with eight fours, and the possibility of the follow-on was avoided at 171-7.

The next landmark was the first batting-bonus point at 200-7, after which Wainwright, left, helped himself to two leg-side boundaries off spinner Ant Botha to go to his chanceless half-century from 69 deliveries, with nine fours.

The morning session had yielded 139 runs - and Yorkshire were hoping that further batting bonus points would follow in the afternoon.

Four runs later, and in the fourth over after lunch, Botha ran one away from Brophy, whose edge was neatly taken by Clarke at slip. Brophy had compiled 85 over 211 minutes off 162 balls, with 11 fours, and his stand with Wainright was worth 144.

Wainwright leg-glanced Woakes for his 1th four to see up the 250, and steered him to the third-man boundary in the same over. Matthew Hoggardgot off the mark by dabbing Woakes to the third-man boundary - and in the next over he struck Botha through extra-cover.

Wainwright reached out to smack Woakes through the covers and enter the 90s. Hoggard drove the same bowler beautifully off the back foot to the point boundary, and breathtakingly swept Botha off the front foot for four to mid-wicket.

Warwickshire took the new ball. Tahir from the Pavilion End persuaded Hoggard to follow one round, and wicket-keeper Ambrose made the catch. 291-9, with Wainwright on 95 and Deon Kruis coming in as last man.

Kruis forced Tahir to the point boundary and turned him to leg to bring up the 300. Wainwright slashed a single to run to 99, and Sreesanth took over the Trafalgar Square End. Wainwright tucked him to leg for a single - and the crowd rose to applaud the same young man who had rescued Yorkshire with a century at Hove last year and had done the same thing today.

Kruis let fly at Sreesanth with boundaries over long-off and long-on, and then turned his attention to Tahir: he lifted him over cover for four, crashed him back through the bowler's hands for four more - technically a chance -  and skewed him round to fine-leg for two and the first-innings lead. Who would have bet on that last night? Kruis rounded off the over by heaving Tahir over mid-wicket for six.

Sreesanth had an analysis of two halves with penetrative wicket-taking and heavy punishment - but he completed a five-for when Kruis went for a huge hook: Ambrose did extremely well to run back towards fine-leg and hold the catch as he fell to the ground with hands outstretched. Kruis had struck a heart-warming 30 with five fours and a six - and Wainwright walked in to a standing ovation, not out 102 in 197 minutes, in which he had faced 149 balls, and hit 14 fours. Yorkshire's first-innings lead of eight was beyond all expectations.

Hoggard and Ajmal Shahzad had bowled 5.5 overs of Warwickshire's second innings when rain drove the players to an early tea at 3.25pm. Warwickshire were 16-0, with Westwood eight, Botha four and four leg-byes. At 3.50pm the rain became heavier, but at 4.31pm the umpires called play with four overs lost. Shahzad had one ball to complete his over - but on the first ball of Hoggard's new over Brophy missed Westwood, an acceptable chance outside the off-stump.

Westwood and Botha avoided risk as Warwickshire passed the 50, Pyrah and Kruis succeeding Hoggard and Shahzad and golden-boy Wainwright taking the Trafalgar Square End after 25 overs. McGrath tried the Pavilion End, and Botha drove him through long-off. It was the skipper who prevented the 100-run opening partnership: Botha slapped a short one hard to point, and Pyrah made no mistake. 96-1. Botha's 33 had included six fours.

Westwood completed his 50 in 103 balls, with eight fours, but nightwatchman Tahir was despatched for a duck: bizarrely he shouldered arms...saw the returning Shahzad rattle his stumps...and Ian Bell had to assume the mantle. The day ended with Warwickshire 111-2, Westwood on 58 and Bell four.

DAVID WARNER

Today's Live Picture Coverage From North Marine Road: JAMES BUTTLER

Fine half-century: Gerard Brophy, who was to go on to 85, and whose stand of 144 with David Wainwright was to turn the course of the match.

Second First Class century: Deon Kruis congratulates David Wainwright, above, and below, David does a lap of honour of the pitch as he acknowledges the crowd's appreciation.

Day 2: Yorkshire’s hopes of avoiding relegation received a jolt at Scarborough as fellow strugglers Warwickshire dominated Day 2 of the LV Championship match by taking their first innings score to 320 - and then reducing the home side to 100-7 by the close.

Warwickshire recovered from 53-4 through a cleanly struck 113 from wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Ambrose, and the Yorkshire innings got off to a nightmare start as Sreesanth sent back Jacques Rudolph and Anthony McGrath without either scoring in a double-wicket maiden.

Left-arm spinner David Wainwright made two much-needed breakthroughs before lunch after Yorkshire’s pacemen had soaked up early punishment. In his second over Wainwright bowled Tony Frost round his legs for 35 to end a fifth-wicket stand of 85 in 21 overs with Tim Ambrose, who was unbeaten on 73 at lunch. Warwickshire were then 186-6, Rikki Clarke also falling to the slow bowler.

The weather was warm and sunny in contrast to yesterday’s dreary conditions when Warwickshire resumed on 53-4, and the batsmen soon got into their stride against Matthew Hoggard and Ajmal Shahzad - who already had three wickets under his belt. Both bowlers were punished for pitching too short but Ambrose, in between playing some excellent shots, had a couple of fortunate moments - edging Shahzad just over Richard Pyrah’s outstretched hand at third-slip, and then seeing the same bowler almost pull off a reflex catch from a leading edge.

Generally, the batsmen were in control, and when Deon Kruis came on he was struck for four consecutive boundaries by Ambrose as 15 fours were clocked in just over an hour. Ambrose cantered to his 50 off 58 balls with 10 fours - but the replacement of Kruis with Wainwright brought the wicket Yorkshire were looking for, and left Warwickshire on 138-5.

Rikki Clarke got off the mark in spectacular style by straight driving Wainwright for six, and with Ambrose continuing to go well 40 runs came in quick time before Wainwright stuck again - Clarke caught behind for 22 trying to cut a ball which was too close for him. Warwickshire could feel the more pleased with the morning, which had brought them 133 runs in 32 overs. Yorkshire could not afford to go on leaking runs.

Ambrose cruised to his century after the interval - he picked Shahzad off his legs to fine-leg to defeat the diving Andrew Gale, drove him to the extra-cover boundary, and slashed him square for four, his ninth First Class hundred coming in 123 balls with 19 fours. All was not quiet at the other end: Wainwright searched for turn in the footholds to the left-hander, but Carter swung him for six to mid-wicket. A second attempt full short of the rope, and a sweep bisected the field in front of the refreshment stalls.

Carter came to his 50 with nine fours and a six, and Ambrose worked Kruis to the leg boundary to bring up the 100 partnership. Pyrah was given the Pavilion End, and Carter smacked him over mid-wicket for his second six. Kruis had some compensation for his suffering when Ambrose whipped him to mid-wicket, top picture, and skipper Anthony McGrathcaught him by sticking out his left hand to end a partnership worth 110. New man Woakes lofted Pyrah over the covers.

Woakes flapped a short one from Kruis to Jonnny Bairstow at slip, and at 300-8 Yorkshire were coming back on terms. At 304 Carter drove Pyrah straight to McGrath at mid-off to end his innings of 67, including 10 fours and two sixes. Yorkshire took the new balls, and at 320 Shahzad knocked Sreesanth's midle stump out of the ground. Shahzad, the star of yesterday morning, finished with 4-78 in 17.4 overs, Kruis 3-68 and Wainwright 2-74.

Disaster struck at once: the crowd had hardly settled after tea when Rudolphwas out first ball. Sreesanth banged it in, but it came quite slowly off the pitch and lobbed off the shoulder of his bat to Troughton at point. It was Rudolph's second consecutive first-ball duck, this third duck in seven innings and his fourth in 10. Much was expected from skipper McGrath - but he followed the fifth ball of the over, and gave a catch to wicket-keeper Ambrose. It was McGrath's third duck of the season and his third in eight innings.

Gale drove Sreesanth for four through mid-on to get Yorkshire going, but a snick over the slips had less merit. Sayers got off the mark with a single to square-leg off Tahir, and at the other end he edged Sreesanth through the slips for four. Sayers showed more authority with a silky cover-drive off Tahir, and then he leaned on Tahir to find the mid-wicket boundary. Twice in consecutive balls Gale crunched short ones from Sreesanth to the cover boundary, and he made it three in three with a glance to fine leg.

Yorkshire were still three short of 50 when Gale overbalanced and clipped Tahir to short-mid-wicket, where he was caught by Woakes. Gale's 23 had included five boundaries. Sayers saw up the 50 - then England batsman Ian Bell got into the action when Sayers pushed Tahir firmly into his hands at short-mid-off. 50-4...but Warwickshire had prospered from a comparable position.

Gerard Brophyhad two when he sliced a full-length ball outside the off-stump from Tahir to Westwood at gully, but the skipper could not hold it. Bairstow opened his account with a heartening boundary to mid-wicket off a half-volley from Tahir...but that was all: Neil Carter had been bowling with penetration from the Trafalgar Square End, and he induced Bairstow to edge to slip, where Frost caught it low down.

Brophy got stuck into Woakes - hooking a long-hop for four and square-cutting him for two more boundaries in the same over. Shahzad struck Carter effortlesly for four through point. Shahzad had three fours in his 13 when the returning Sreesanth got him - caught by third-slip Westwood. 95-6. Richard Pyrahsurvived a close lbw call before the over ended, but Sreesanth was to make it number four in his next over when Frost at first slip held a beautiful rolling catch to dismiss Pyrah for a duck. 99-7.

A single to Brophy brought the 100 up at last.

DAVID WARNER

Round his legs: Short-leg Joe Sayers keeps his head down...but he need not have worried. David Wainwright has bowled Tony Frost.

How's that? Not out! But all-rounder Richard Pyrah lives in hope as Yorkshire strike back.

Festival line-up. Stewart Regan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, extreme left, and Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, flank the Yorkshire squad on Day 2 at Scarborough.

 

Today's Picture Coverage From North Marine Road: JAMES BUTTLER

Day 1: Ajmal Shahzad and Deon Kruis each took an early wicket after Yorkshire had put Warwickshire in to bat on a damp and blustery Day 1 of their LV Championship match at Scarborough.

These early blows reduced Warwickshire to 28-2, and they would have been 30-3 if Joe Sayers had not dropped Ian Bell at second slip off Matthew Hoggardshortly afterwards. It was not an expensive miss, because it became 48-3 when Shahzad swapped ends, and bowled Bell for 23 to leave Warwickshire reeling on 48-3.

The North Marine Road ground appeared to miss the worst of the rain that affected much of the country, and play was able to start at midday with nine overs lost, Kruis and Richard Pyrah coming in for Adil Rashid and Tim Bresnan- who are with the England one-day squad until the end of the season.

Shahzad was given a rare opportunity to share the new ball with Hoggard, and he made the most of it: in his first over from the Pavilion End Ian Westwood edged him into the hands of Sayers at second slip. England batsman Ian Bell, came in and made a promising start - steering Shahzad for two to get off the mark, and off-driving him for four before cutting him to the boundary in a later over.

Ant Botha played Hoggard nicely off his feet for four, and promptly square-drove him to the rope, the first bowling change coming at 23-1 in seven overs when Kruis replaced Shahzad. It proved to be a shrewd move by skipper Anthony McGrath, because in his second over Kruis swung a full-length ball in to Botha and flattened his off-stump.

A short break for rain cost a further over, and Hoggard’s first ball on the resumption saw Sayers drop a throat-high chance from Bell...the fielder soon afterwards left the field, presumably for treatment to a hand injury. A quiet spell of play was ended by Bell, who lifted Kruis over the slips for four. Jim Troughton glanced Kruis to the edge and cover-drove him for two to take Warwickshire to 44-2 in the 18th over.

Hoggard was rested from his opening stint at the Trafalgar Square End, and the return of Shahzad for a second spell soon brought another wicket as he shaped one in to Bell and trimmed his off-bail. The pre-lunch thrills had not quite ended: at 53 Shahzad struck a third time when Troughton edged low and hard to Jonny Bairstow, who fell and held it with both hands at third slip.

Heavy rain during the lunch interval and further showers washed out the afternoon session. The players took an early tea, and it was announced that they would return at 4.30pm. It then became clear that the poor light would mean a further delay, and play was abandoned for the day at 5.26pm.

DAVID WARNER

PREVIEW:Anthony McGrath's Yorkshire go into the Scarborough Festival week full of confidence after a win against Hampshire and an impressive Roses desplay at Headingley Carnegie last week.

This years Scarborough Festival includes an LV County Championship match against Warwickshire and a NatWest Pro40 game against Sussex Sharks.

The 2009 Scarborough Festival is sponsored by Welcome to Yorkshire and The Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Scarborough Cricket Club thank them for their support. 

Yorkshire are now without England bound Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid for the rest of the campaign. Rana Naved has played his last game for the county after his selection for the Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy squad meant he would not return to this country for the rest of the season.

With three key players missing the strength of the Yorkshire squad will be tested and Richard Pyrah and Azeem Rafiq may well get a further chance to impress in the 4-day game

Yorkshire Squad

Jacques RUDOLPH, Joe SAYERS, Anthony McGRATH (capt), Andrew GALE, Jonathan BAIRSTOW, Gerard BROPHY (wk), Richard PYRAH, Azeem RAFIQ, Ajmal SHAHZAD, Matthew HOGGARD, Deon KRUIS and David WAINWRIGHT.

Warwickshire Squad

To be confirmed...

Tickets

The match starts at 11am on each of the four days and tickets will be available on the gate priced at £15 adults and £10 concessions. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free.

MATCH INFORMATION

Hours of Play

Morning session: 11am to 1pm

Afternoon session: 1.40pm to 3.40pm

Evening session: 4pm to 6pm

In the event of more than 32 overs remaining to be bowled at 3.40pm (3.10pm in matches scheduled to start in September) the tea interval will be delayed and play will continue until 32 overs remain to be bowled at which time the tea interval will commence.

(Timings are brought forward 30 minutes for matches where the first day of the match is scheduled to start in September). On each of the first three days there is provision for playing time to be extended by the amount of time lost in that day up to a maximum of 30 minutes.

Overs in a day

Play shall continue on each day until the completion of a minimum number of overs or until the scheduled cessation time, whichever is the later. The minimum number of overs to be completed, unless an innings ends or an interruption occurs, shall be:

• 96 overs minimum on days other than the last day
• 80 overs minimum on the last day plus 16 overs in the last hour unless captains agree there is no prospects of a positive result.

Points System

• 14 points for a win plus bonus points in the first innings
• In a tie, each side to score seven points, plus any bonus points in the first innings
• In a drawn match, each side to score four points, plus any bonus points scored in the first innings. If a match is abandoned without a ball being bowled, each side to score four points

Batting bonus points, awarded only for performances in the first 120 overs of each first innings and retained whatever the result of the match:

• 200 to 249 runs - 1 point
• 250 to 299 runs - 2 points
• 300 to 349 runs - 3 points
  350 to 399 runs - 4 points
• 400 runs or over - 5 points

Bowling bonus points, awarded only for performances in the first 120 overs of each first innings and retained whatever the result of the match:

• 3 to 5 wickets taken - 1 point
• 6 to 8 wickets taken - 2 points
• 9 to 10 wickets taken - 3 points

The side which has the highest aggregate of points gained at the end of the season shall be the Champion County.