First-team hopeful Adam Lyth, pictured, hit 75...but the batting glory belonged to Jack Leaning, who at 16 years of age piled on an undefeated 150 as the last Championship match of the season saw Yorkshire Seconds return to the scene of their Trophy win over Worcestershire the previous day.

Yorkshire batted first – and very nearly began with a century partnership, the stand ending when Alex Lees was trapped in front at 98. Enter Leaning. The boy carried his bat for the rest of the innings – passing his previous best innings of 51 and past the century mark on to a magnificent 150, his last 50 runs coming off 33 balls.

Leaning overshadowed the efforts of the other Yorkshire batsmen: Lyth’s 71, Lees’s 35 and Gurman Randhawa’s 26 were the best of the rest as the innings was declared on the fall of the ninth wicket at 332.

Nine overs were bowled before the close of Day 1 and one wicket taken, but when Worcestershire continued their quest to match Yorkshire’s total on Day 2 a stoppage for bad light and the arrival of forecast rain cost in all 58 overs. The Royals lost nine of their wickets at regular intervals, and had reached 268 when play was called off for the day, an unbeaten 71 from wicket-keeper Ben Cox being the best of their innings.

Heavy overnight rain waterlogged the ground, particularly at the Diglis end, so it was after an early lunch that play began with Yorkshire extending their lead by 164 off 14 overs of irregular bowling, the second declaration of the day setting Worcestershire a target of 229 to win off the 64 overs remaining.

A smart caught-and-bowled in the first over by Oliver Hannon-Dalby got Yorkshire off to a good start, but it was a false dawn...it cued in the arrival of captain Neil Pinner, who joined Matthew Pardoe in a second-wicket stand of 164 - four short of their record partnership at Todmorden in 2010.

The stand was broken by the first ball of the last hour bowled by George Ross - who was to take wickets with the first ball of his next and fourth overs and with the first of his sixth. It was all in vain: the runs continued to flow, and with six wickets and almost six overs to spare Worcestershire reached the winning post.

With not a single win in the Championship it has been an unhappy season results-wise for the Seconds, but with a season’s experience under their belts for the young players surely there will be much improvement in their 2012 team performances?

Words and Statistics: MICHAEL SNOOK

Here's how to keep up with Scorer MICHAEL SNOOK on Second Eleven match days:

www.totalcricketscorer.co.uk

Select Live Scores
Select country as United Kingdom
Select region as Yorkshire and Club as Yorkshire

The lastest score should display! Clicking on scorecard should bring up the full scorecard.