Ahead of the one-month County Championship break it’s three draws in their first three games for Yorkshire after they were frustrated on the final day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. With the only realistic chance of getting a victory dashed early on when the hosts passed the 451 follow-on mark, the objective of the match changed to secure maximum bonus points and give players the chance of time in the middle.

Ahead of the one-month County Championship break it’s three draws in their first three games for Yorkshire after they were frustrated on the final day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

With the only realistic chance of getting a victory dashed early on when the hosts passed the 451 follow-on mark, the objective of the match changed to secure maximum bonus points and give players the chance of time in the middle.

The first was achieved at the very last opportunity, when Ajmal Shahzad got the ninth Warwickshire wicket with the final ball of the 119th over to secure three bowling points to join the four batting ones.

Then Adil Rashid grabbed his chance with the bat, making 58 not out in an unbroken partnership of 99 with captain Anthony McGrath, before the Tykes’ declared on 162-3 with a lead of 280.

That left Warwickshire just 36 overs to try and score the runs but in the end both captains did shake hands at ten-to-five which had long looked the only feasible outcome.

By that stage they had reached 60-1 with Ian Bell starting to show the sort of form he needs to recapture the England number three spot back with 30 not out.

Next up for Yorkshire is the away Friends Provident Trophy clash against the Gloucestershire Gladiators on Monday.

There is likely to be team changes for the game, both Michael Vaughan and Andrew Gale will be assessed after missing today’s action and the ECB have asked for Tim Bresnan not to be picked ahead of England’s second test against the West Indies on Thursday.

Ajmal Shahzad also has a slight strain and Gerard Brophy is still nursing his thumb injury so Adam Lyth and Simon Guy will join up with the squad.

 DAY THREE REPORT 

Yorkshire face an uphill struggle to cement victory against Warwickshire as their dominance faded on the third evening, when the Bears added to the collection of record partnerships in the match.

Anthony McGrath and Joe Sayers had shattered an 81-year best for the Yorkshire third wicket on day two. But Jonathan Trott (140 not out) and Jeetan Patel (89 not out) bettered an 84-year record in adding 181 unbroken for the ninth wicket.

It dragged the hosts back into a game in which they had been thoroughly outplayed for the first eight sessions. When Ajmal Shahzad clean bowled Rikki Clarke for 9 with a terrific yorker in the afternoon, they still needed 313 to avoid the follow on and were reeling on 138 for six on a cold, damp, Birmingham day.

But Trott led the fightback with positivity and he had support from Neil Carter (32), Chris Woakes (30) and then Patel, who was excellent in recording his first-class best by stumps, by which time, the follow-on target was just 29 runs away on 422 for eight.

Both Carter and Woakes were defeated in flight by Adil Rashid and bowled but Patel was no respecter of reputation and even smashed the Yorkshire leg-spinner out of the attack in an evening session that yielded a mammoth 193 runs.

Rana Naved was the star turn of the day for the Tykes and took three wickets for no runs in seven balls during a morning session thrice interrupted by rain. Ian Westwood (41) and Jim Troughton (0) departed to inswinging deliveries in consecutive balls before Tim Ambrose edged behind without score. Now Yorkshire need twelve wickets on the final day to ensure their dominance of the match hasn’t been in vain.

DAY TWO REPORT 

Yorkshire’s history books had several new entries on the second day at Edgbaston as the White Rose county consolidated their grip on the County Championship match against Warwickshire.

Captain Anthony McGrath led by example, deflecting, drilling and manipulating the ball to all corners of the ground to record the first double century of his career before a tired move to the on side saw him bowled by Neil Carter for 211. McGrath has something of a love affair with the Birmingham venue, with his previous best also coming there in 2007.

The partnership of 346 with Joe Sayers (173) was the highest Yorkshire stand for the third wicket, eclipsing the landmark set by Herbert Sutcliffe and Maurice Leyland in Huddersfield 81 years ago: two batsmen of exceptional skill. It ended when Jeetan Patel took the edge of Sayers in mid-afternoon and Rikki Clarke was alert enough to snaffle the chance at slip.

Sayers had urged his team-mates to “respect the game” on the first evening and emphasised the need to prioritise the bigger picture of the match above any potential chase for rapid runs. They certainly did that, in picking up four of the five batting bonus points available but the middle and lower order surrendered their wickets in the pursuit of the declaration figure.

The wicket of McGrath was one of four taken by Neil Carter, the left-armer having Andrew Gale (12), Adil Rashid (0) and Rana Naved (32) all caught behind the stumps. McGrath called the batsmen in at 600 for eight with Gerard Brophy contributing a quickfire, unbeaten 40.

Yorkshire supremacy was emboldened in the evening session when Deon Kruis nipped out Tony Frost for 8 with Jacques Rudolph taking a comfortable catch in the slip cordon. Whilst Ian Bell remains at the crease, Warwickshire have plenty of quality but at 81 for one, they still require 370 runs to avoid the follow-on.

DAY ONE REPORT 

Joe Sayers was the Yorkshire hero on the opening day at Edgbaston, scoring his first County Championship century since June 2007 to give the White Rose control against Warwickshire, closing on 258-2.

The 25 year-old reached three figures with a glance to the fine leg boundary off the bowling of Rikki Clarke, ending a drought that has stretched back to his career-best 187 at Tunbridge Wells against Kent and rewarding him for a patient and gutsy knock in the face of a barrage of short-pitched bowling.

Anthony McGrath won the toss and the visitors set about making good use of a decent track with Jacques Rudolph building on his terrific form of last week at Headingley Carnegie. The South African enjoyed an opening stand of 93 with Sayers including an eye-catching array of off drives that took him to 62 before he gloved a rising ball from the impressive Clarke.

The short ball – occasionally problematic from short of a length at the Pavilion End – seemed the only weapon in the armoury of the Bears though and although Michael Vaughan (16) swatted to Jim Troughton at backward point, there would be little else to cheer for the Birmingham crowd as Sayers teamed up with his captain to frustrate the hosts.

Sayers reached three figures off 257 balls and remained unbeaten on 114 when bad light caused a third, and terminal interruption with four overs and four balls still to be bowled.

Before that point, McGrath (46 not out) had been reprieved on three occasions: a poor dropped catch from Chris Woakes at mid-wicket, a one-handed effort grassed by ‘keeper Tim Ambrose and a tough chance to Jonathan Trott at forward short-leg.

MATCH PREVIEW 

Anthony McGrath leads his Yorkshire side to Birmingham for the LV County Championship match against Warwickshire as the White Rose county look to notch their first 4-day win of 2009.

Gerard Brophy returns to action after a hand injury kept him out of this weekends Friends Provident Trophy action. He has enjoyed a sparkling start to the season and is currently riding high in the PCA Most Valuable Player listings after a brace of 60s, seven catches and a some tremendous wicket keeping. For the full PCA ranking CLICK HERE.

Tim Bresnan is with the England squad at Lord's, but otherwise McGrath and Moxon pick from a full squad.  

PROSPECTS OF PLAY

Today's weather in Birmingham.

YORKSHIRE SQUAD

The squad which will also move on to Bristol for the FPT match against Gloucestershire on 11th May includes: Joe Sayers. Jacques Rudolph, Michael Vaughan, Anthony McGrath (capt), Andrew Gale, Gerard Brophy (wk), Adil Rashid, Rana Naved, David Wainwright, Ajmal Shahzad, Deon Kruis, Matthew Hoggard, David Wainwright, Richard Pyrah and Steve Patterson. 

WARWICKSHIRE SQUAD

Ian Westwood (capt), Tony Frost, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Jim Troughton, Tim Ambrose (wk), Rikki Clarke, Ant Botha, Jeetan Patel, Neil Carter, Chris Woakes and Boyd Rankin

Darren Maddy will miss the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.   

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.