Yorkshire’s resistance ended at 5.15pm on Day 4 with just 11.2 overs left in the match when Richard Pyrah finally succumbed lbw to a Scott Borthwick leg-break to give Durham a victory by 146 runs and 22 points. Yorkshire take 3 points from the match.

(PHOTO: Rich Pyrah on his way to a Championship best 87 on the final day) 

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Joe Root interview Day 2	CLICK HERE
Richard Pyrah interview Day 4	CLICK HERE
Martyn Moxon interview Day 4	CLICK HERE

 

DAY FOUR REPORT

Yorkshire’s resistance ended at 5.15pm on Day 4 with just 11.2 overs left in the match when Richard Pyrah finally succumbed lbw to a Scott Borthwick leg-break to give Durham a victory by 146 runs and 22 points. Yorkshire take 3 points from the match.

Richard Pyrah proved his worth as a genuine Championship all-rounder as he ended a good personal performance by adding a Championship best 87 from 184 balls to his impressive bowling display.

The absence of Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad has given Pyrah a chance in early season to show what he can do in the 4-day format and he has not disappointed. Forget his first innings duck where the ball kept horribly low, his bowling has been strong accurate and aggressive and his batting today patient, yet crisp in attack.

The Tykes began Day 4 on 88-2, seeking an improbable 402 more runs in the day for victory. Far more realistic was the battle to bat out the remaining three sessions to secure a draw, but that was to be too big a mountain to climb.

In truth, Yorkshire have been second in most departments and sessions over the past four days, but were hoping an excellent performance on a sun-baked Sunday could rescue some pride and points. The biggest worry has been the inability of the Yorkshire bowlers, Pyrah and Moin Ashraf at times excepted, to get the same help from the Headingley pitch that the Durham bowlers have consistently gleaned throughout.

Yorkshire hopes took an almighty blow when, with the 15th ball of the morning, Graham Onions pushed Joe Root back to a delivery he should have come forward to which resulted in an edge to Michael Richardson behind the sticks. Root has been one of the few positives in this game. He has looked mature, fast of foot and eye and undoubtedly has a long Yorkshire future ahead of him.

Yorkshire skipper, Andrew Gale, was caught by Richardson an over later when he misread a Scott Borthwick 'wrong-un' and Yorkshire were clinging on for dear life at 95-4.

Realistically, batting for three sessions and denying Durham victory would have been an almighty triumph. Durham were big favourites going into Day 3, but that all three results remained possible illustrates the charm of the Championship. Nothing could be ruled out when the match got underway as batting had appeared easier on Day 3.

Gerard Brophy's marathon start to 2011 was ended when Callum Thorp had him lbw for 20 and the score was 134-5. Brophy has made 216 runs across the first two Championship games before today's dismissal. Adil Rashid then made 7 before flicking airily at a leg-side delivery from Liam Plunkett, nicking it into the hands of Michael Richardson and Yorkshire were 158-6. The game seemed destined to end some time either side of lunch.

Rashid’s departure brought Jonny Bairstow and Richard Pyrah together and the pair battled hard around the lunch-break. Bairstow lunched on 48 not out and Pyrah 4. Yorkshire’s faint hopes of winning the game had bitten the dust. It was going to take an heroic effort in the last two sessions to deny Durham the victory, and it so nearly happened.

Bairstow looked completely at ease after lunch, stroking fours all around the wicket as Dale Benkenstein kept catchers close to the bat. Bairstow and Pyrah added 67 for the 7th wicket, their fifty partnership coming in 74 balls, before Bairstow was caught by Michael diVenuto at first slip when attempting to late cut a Scott Borthwick delivery for 81, just 4 runs short of his highest first-class innings. Bairstow's previous best was 84 not out against Nottinghamshire at Scarborough in 2009. He faced 118 balls and hit 16 fours in making his 15th first-class fifty.

At tea Pyrah had 64 from 114 balls including 10 fours and he had been joined by Ryan Sidebottom (22 from 70). Pyrah battled valiantly and Ryan Sidebottom's contribution is not to be underestimated.

After tea Pyrah went past his best Championship score of 78 made in 2005. Pyrah and Sidebottom extended their partnership to 98, a record for the Yorkshire 8th wicket against Durham, beating Joe Sayers and Darren Gough 82 run stand at Headingley in 2007, and tension was starting to mount. They couldn’t hang on, could they?

But Sidebottom went for 31 from 96 balls, caught behind off Liam Plunkett with still 20.4 overs remaining in the match. Steve Patterson was greeted by encouraging cheers from a tense Headingley crowd, but fell lbw first ball to leave Yorkshire teetering at 323-9. Moin Ashraf joined Pyrah and survived the hat-trick delivery amidst loud shouts for lbw.

Pyrah and Ashraf survived together for 35 minutes every defensive shot, pushed single and survived over met with applause until Borthwick trapped Pyrah, who had fully deserved a century, and that was that.

Plunkett (3-75) and Borthwick (3-49) were the chief wicket-takers for Durham and Michael Richardson capped off a great Championship debut with 5 catches to add to his two fine half centuries earlier in the game.

Pyrah hung over his bat after the umpires finger had been raised as if turned to stone and, once he had dragged himself upright, received applause from the Headingley faithful, and the Durham players, for his heroic efforts. There will proably be times when he is forced to make way for the returning Shahzad and Bresnan, but Richard Pyrah is more than just a one-day specialist - the last few days have proved that.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY 3 REPORT

Yorkshire closed Day 3 on 88-2 chasing an improbable 490 runs to win against Durham. The draw seems the most likely positive result for Yorkshire whose previous highest first-class run chase was 406-4 against Leicestershire at Leicester in 2006.

Adam Lyth was caught by Richardson behind the wicket to a Callum Thorp delivery when the score was 64 and Anthony McGrath made 7 before being caught by Michael diVenuto at slip off the bowling of Ian Blackwell to reduce Yorkshire to 81-2.

Andrew Gale has joined Joe Root who has continued his impressive introduction into the Yorkshire 1st Team. Looking composed and at ease with senior cricket, Root is 38 not out overnight.

Adam Lyth (22) and Joe Root (17) have reached 51-0 from 70 balls as Yorkshire began their quest to chase an improbable 490 to beat Durham over the last four sessions of this match. 27 runs came in the first 4 overs as Lyth in particular with 4 boundaries decided that attack was the best form of defence.

Ian Blackwell was introduced in the 10th over after the seamers had taken some stick, although an edge from Root just dropped short of second slip from a Callum Thorp delivery when he was on 14 and the score 46-0.

It was hard going for the Yorkshire bowlers as Dale Benkenstein reached his third century against Yorkshire from 174 balls, hitting 13 fours. He then took just 38 balls to reach 150 adding another 4 fours and a straight 6 as he welcomed Steve Patterson's return with the new ball. Benkenstein now averages 65 against Yorkshire in first-class fixtures.

Patterson took a slightly hollow revenge when Benkenstein holed out to Adam Lyth at deep mid-wicket, an act that brought Durham's decelaration at 311-6, a lead of 489.

Benkenstein and Michael Richardson added 187 for the 6th wicket, a record for Durham against Yorkshire. Richardson (73 not out) reached his second fifty of the match from 104 balls and hit 5 fours. He becomes the first player to achieve that double since Michael diVenuto in 1999.

Durham lost two wickets in the morning session as they extended their lead in the game to 336 runs at the break. They lost their 5th wicket when the golden arm of Richard Pyrah was introduced in the 23rd over of the day. Ian Blackwell, always a dangerous player, swung hard and the ball was well held low down to his left by Adam Lyth off the edge - 124-5 a lead then of 302 runs.

Yorkshire returned for Day 3 knowing that they have to win every session over the last two days of this match to stand the remotest chance at all of retrieving anything from this game, Patterson bowled a good early spell, but it was when Moin Ashraf was brought on from the Kirkstall Lane End and pitched the ball tempting a Gordon Muchall drive that was taken by Jonny Bairstow that Yorkshire got the breakthrough - 98-4.

Moin Ashraf was the pick of the Yorkshire bowlers today. The 19-year-old mixed it up, particularly when the Durham batsmen were looking to accelerate.

One worry was Andrew Gale when he seemed to hurt his right elbow when fielding a ball at long-off. He left the field just before the declaration and Anthony McGrath took charge, but Gale returned to the middle with the bat and resumes on 3 not out together with Joe Root on Sunday morning.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY TWO REPORT

Graham Onions showed the watching England selector, James Whittaker, just what England have been missing for the last 15 months with a five wicket haul on his Durham return as Yorkshire were bowled out for 149. Durham chose not to enforce the follow-on, beginning their second innings 178 runs ahead. They had reached 64-3 at the close.

It was Onions first 5-for since taking 7 wickets against Warwickshire in June 2009. His charge was gifted a second ball wicket of Adam Lyth, who pulled a short delivery straight down Ben Stokes throat at square leg and the left-handed opender will be kicking himself for days to come.

Anthony McGrath was playing his first Championship innings of the summer and had appeared to have weathered the worst of the early storm when he was lbw to Thorp while not playing a shot. He walked off with 15 runs to his name and Yorkshire were a perilous 43-2. Onions appeared to have McGrath plum in front without scoring, but he turned to see umpire O'Shaughnessy calling a no ball – 6 runs as the ball had crossed the third man boundary. Onions again found the edge of McGrath's bat at 32-1 but the ball failed to carry to first slip.

Joe Root, in only his second Championship start, and Andrew Gale then rebuilt sensibly. They reached lunch at 93-2, but their job was only partially complete. There were moments of sheer class from Root. A couple of cover drives in particular oozed quality. He has the attribute that only natural ability buys – time to play, and his foot movement was immaculate. Root was 35 and Gale 15 at the break.

Andrew Gale, whose natural instinct is to attack, chose the wrong ball with which to launch his assault in the second over after the interval. Onions dug one in and the Yorkshire skipper went to pull in front of square only to see the ball sail high into the safe hands of Ian Blackwell at mid-on from a top edge. Gale made 16, Yorkshire were 100-3 and Durham had opened the door.

Jonny Bairstow went without scoring as he tried to force to leg and fell lbw to Onions to plunge Yorkshire to 106-4. In fairness to Bairstow the ball appeared to strike him very high on his pad, but it was not the shot to play in the circumstances. Yorkshire were torm between whether to defend or counter attack and failed to do either.

Root's resistance was over when his forward defensive push to a swinging Onions delivery resulted in a catch for Michael Richardson behind the stumps. Root hit 5 fours in his 103 ball stay and whereas some youngsters might feel a pretty 45 is enough to impress, Root castigated himself all the way to the dressing room – he was hungry for many more.

Yorkshire were 113-5 and it was going to get worse. Adil Rashid scored 7 before Blackwell got one to grip and find the edge to Michael diVenuto at first slip and the Tykes were 124-6. Richard Pyrah was the only batsman that could blame the pitch, playing back to a ball that kept very low from Callum Thorp. He was lbw without scoring and Yorkshire 127-7.

Ryan Sidebottom joined Gerard Brophy and everyone wondered for a while whether they would be able to replicate their heroics at New Road. Those thoughts were soon shelved when Sidebottom had his stumps rearranged by Callum Thorp and Yorkshire were 127-8.

Steve Patterson was Onions fifth victim as he gloved a rising delivery to Richardson to reduce Yorkshire to 131-9 and Scott Borthwick put Yorkshire out of their misery when Moin Ashraf was caught off bat and pad by Ben Stokes for 5.

Gerard Brophy batted patiently for his unbeaten 19 from 75 balls in almost 2 hours, but ran out of partners before he was anywhere near top gear. Yorkshire had lost 8 wickets in the afternoon session for only 49 runs in 31.1 overs and towards the end the Yorkshire public were ironically cheering any scoring shot.

When Durham batted again, Andrew Gale gave the new ball to Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf. Sidebottom made an early breakthrough when he had Michael diVenuto caught by Richard Pyrah at first slip for 12 with the score on 21. Then Will Smith played across his pads and Ashraf had him lbw for 8 to make Durham 25-2. Stokes hit a fluent 28 from 53 balls before being bowled by Steve Patterson to leave Durham 61-3. Gordon Muchall (6) and Dale Benkenstein (9) saw Durham to 64-3 when bad light ended the day with 10.1 overs lost.

Durham continue tomorrow with a lead of 242 with 7 second innings wickets remaining.

Earlier, Yorkshire ended any Durham hopes of adding significantly to their overnight 326 when Ryan Sidebottom claimed his 4th wicket of the innings with his 2nd ball of the day, Yorkshire's 8th, when Onions drove uppishly to Andrew Gale at mid-off. Sidebottom finished with 4-72 while Richard Pyrah added a maiden over to his career best 3-70.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY ONE REPORT

In an innings that mirrored Worcestershire’s Day 1 efforts at New Road last week, Durham were not prepared to go down quietly and Yorkshire struggled to finish things off, Durham ending Day 1 on 326-9 at Headingley.

Liam Plunkett (65 not out, from 122 balls with 8 fours) was joined by Callum Thorp (41) as the pair added a record 9th wicket stand for Durham against Yorkshire of 94 to take Durham to 317-9. Richard Pyrah and Ryan Sidebottom (3-71) had cut through the Durham batting line-up during the afternoon taking 3 wickets apiece, figures of 3-70 giving Pyrah his first-class career best.

In a topsy-turvy first day at Headingley Michael DiVenuto, so often the scourge of Yorkshire attacks, and Will Smith added 106 for the 1st wicket. DiVenuto in particular tucked into helpful opening spells from Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Patterson who gave too many short balls and too much width with the new ball after Durham had won the toss.

Moin Ashraf, introduced in the 8th over, bowled a fuller line and found more movement away from right-hander Smith and grabbing the edge of his bat, twice inducing the drive to see the ball run through the vacant 3rd slip area to the boundary. It was not however, until Pyrah bowled the 19th over and Rashid the 20th that the Tykes began to exert more control.

DiVenuto and Smith had got Durham off to a fabulous start beneath grey Headingley skies notching their century opening stand in 150 balls, but Gale’s men eventually prospered as Pyrah struck gold twice in the 27th over of the morning. He had nearly snaffled Smith on 26, an edge just dropping short of a diving Jonny Bairstow, but two wickets shortly before lunch brought Yorkshire right back into the game.

Pyrah trapped Di Venuto lbw for 74 and two balls later had Gordon Muchall caught by Adam Lyth at slip for a duck to reduce Durham to 106-2.

Smith had batted patiently for 35 at the lunch interval, but he added only 2 more he pushed a ball from Sidebottom to Patterson at mid-on and Patto swooped and threw down the stumps at the bowlers end with the opener well short of his ground. It was almost a free wicket, but Yorkshire had pushed their noses in front.

Sidebottom spell after lunch is a prime example of why Martyn Moxon wanted the Huddersfield-born left-armer back in a Yorkshire shirt. He ran in full of venom and passion to have Dale Benkenstein stuck on the crease without scoring and Ian Blackwell lbw for 1 to reduce the visitors to 123-5.

Moin Ashraf, wicketless in Worcester, got his season properly underway when he too the important wicket of the talented 19-year-old, Ben Stokes, lbw for 14 and Durham were struggling at 135-6.

Durham had lost 6 wickets for 29 runs in 15.2 overs.

Ryan Sidebottom ended a mini-revival by claiming his third wicket of the day when Scott Borthwick edged behind for 13. Borthwick and Michael Richardson, on his Championship debut for Durham, had added 62 for the 7th wicket.

Richard Pyrah finally dislodged Richardson for a very well crafted 67 on his Championship debut. He had been called up when an inflamed toe ruled Durham’s 4-day captain, Phil Mustard, out of the match and if his keeping matches his batting Durham have a gem. He struck 10 fours and 1 six before his 97 ball stay ended when he was caught by Anthony McGrath and Durham were 223-8.

Callum Thorp faced 66 balls and hit 5 fours in the record breaking 9th wicket stand, but he holed out to Gerard Brophy at deep mid-wicket to give Rashid is first wicket of the game. It was not the same Rashid that bowled at Worcester a week before. He did not exhibit the same patience, bowled too many loose deliveries, but the good sign is that he is hungry, enjoying his cricket and could well be far more of a handful second time around.

Graham Onions, on his return to competitive action for his first match since the England v South Africa Test at Cape Town in January 2010, will resume with Plunkett on 6 not out tomorrow morning. 

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

YORKSHIRE SQUAD v DURHAM

Adam LYTH, Joe ROOT, Anthony McGRATH, Andrew GALE (c), Jonny BAIRSTOW (wk), Gerard BROPHY, Adil RASHID, Richard PYRAH, Ryan SIDEBOTTOM, Steve PATTERSON, Moin ASHRAF, David WAINWRIGHT and Oliver HANNON-DALBY.

DURHAM SQUAD

Head Coach Geoff Cook has named 12 man squad which sees Will Smith coming in to replace the opener with Mitchell Claydon and Graham Onions in contention for the remaining bowling spot.MJ Di Venuto, WR Smith, GJ Muchall, BA Stokes, DM Benkenstein, ID Blackwell, P Mustard (c,wk), SG Borthwick, LE Plunkett, CD Thorp, ME Claydon and G Onions.

TICKETS: Can be purchased on the gates at Headingley.
ADMISSION: Adults £15, Concessions £10, children under-12 (with an adult) admitted free.

MATCH PREVIEW

Durham are the visitors as Headingley Carnegie hosts Yorkshire’s first home match of 2011. The Yorkshire side have had little time to reflect on the success of their travels to Worcester and will surely face a sterner test as the game against their north-east rivals gets underway on Thursday.

On paper, Durham’s bowling attack looks more dangerous than Worcestershire’s and in 19-year-old Ben Stokes they have a young all-rounder who is in form and as exciting a young cricketer as Adil Rashid. The New Zealand born Stokes scored 135 not out in Durham’s second innings and took 6-68 in Hampshire’s first knock.Durham took 11 points from their draw at the Rose Bowl and their batsman all scored runs in their total of 473 to build confidence.

Steve Harmison, their most potent threat with the ball, is a major doubt for the trip to Headingley. He bowled only 3.2 overs against Hampshire after suffering a bruised left forearm while batting. Durham will also be without Mark Stoneman who broke a bone in his wrist while fielding. Mark Davies returned from their pre-season tour to Dubai with a stress fracture and Graham Onions, who has been out for 14 months after back surgery, is still being eased back to match action - however reports are that he is very keen to play against Yorkshire. Paul Collingwood will not feature until June.

Durham were disappointed with their 5th place finish in 2010 after winning back-to-back titles and will be seeking to regain the title of Champion County again this summer under the leadership of their 4-day skipper, Phil Mustard.

The Tykes performance at New Road was a 7 out of 10 and it is far too early to get carried away. A poor performance against Durham and the same people that have been heralding a Championship winning summer will be demanding wholesale changes. But in Worcester Gerard Brophy and Adil Rashid were extraordinarily good.

Brophy was almost perfect, the middle of his bat enormous, and the best thing – he was hungry and not content that a nicely crafted 60 was enough. His 177 not out was the best he has ever played in a shirt with a White Rose on it and if he can come anywhere near to replicating that standard throughout the summer then Jacques Rudolph’s runs might well be replaced by a specialist batsman few had considered.

Rashid has always been hungry for wickets and bowling overs, but even he hadn’t anticipated taking 11 wickets in a game in early April. The most pleasing aspect of Rashid’s performance was not his flamboyant turn and variation – we all know he can do that - it was his patience, flight and accuracy when the ball did not turn significantly in the first innings. The Rashid of old might have got frustrated. The Rashid at New Road last Friday knuckled down, bowled his dots and prospered. It was good to see.

The game also saw Ryan Sidebottom’s return to competitive action for Yorkshire and he did not disappoint. Andrew Gale knows what to expect and so do opposition batsmen – long miserly spells and a constant wicket-taking threat. The lad can bat too!

Unsung heroes? I’ll give you Steve Patterson. On Sunday afternoon when Yorkshire’s leg-spinner took the headlines, Patto bowled a spell from the Diglis End that set the ‘8 wickets in the afternoon session’ ball rolling. He has grown in confidence after an excellent 2010 and he is consistent a pace-man as you are ever likely to get.

Joe Root must have had a couple of sleepless nights around his 12- ball debut duck, but when he got his second chance he scored 21 not out and looked every inch a senior batsman.  He got the perfect ball to get off the mark with in the second dig as he turned to leg for four. If only that delivery had been served up on Saturday!

Rich Pyrah is a far better batsman than he has had the chance to show on a regular basis in 4-day cricket. His 41-minute 19 on Saturday may not have grabbed much attention, but if he had departed early with the score 120-6 the match may have ended differently.

Moin Ashraf was wicketless, but looked the part and bowled a couple of very decent spells and deserves another opportunity.

I’ve been disappointed to read criticism of Joe Sayers who has defied the odds to return from illness to open the innings. He is back, healthy and enthusiastic. That should be welcomed after he missed most of last summer after scoring over a thousand first-class runs in 2009. He needs time and support to re-establish himself in the early part of the season. We have a young top order batting line-up and Sayers role could be pivotal in providing a backbone so those around him can flourish. Let’s at least leave the witch-hunts until later in the summer!

The 14-man squad that travelled to Worcester is likely to be from where the Yorkshire XI to play Durham is chosen. Anthony McGrath, who is recovering well from a leg injury, is back in contention to get his own season underway.

Confidence breeds yet more confidence and self-belief and Yorkshire are off and running in 2011 and that’s the most important thing.

My abiding memory of Worcester, other than the wonderful weather, will be the shows of genuine team spirit from the Yorkshire balcony. When Joe Root walked to the wicket on a debut pair on Sunday his Yorkshire team-mates cheered every run he scored. That camaraderie can take Andrew Gale’s side a long way this summer.

JAMES BUTTLER