Yorkshire were on the promotion charge as a thumping 8 wicket win over Glamorgan secured a 22 point victory inside three days at Headingley. Andrew Gale’s side must wait until the conclusion of the Derbyshire versus Kent match and the game between Hampshire and Essex before they know the number of points they require from their visit to Chelmsford next week. If Derbyshire cling on for a draw and Essex win the Tyke’s may require a little as 6 points, but the race for promotion looks set to go to the wire.

(PHOTO:  Adam Lyth and Andrew Gale shared a crucial third wicket partnership on day two)

MATCH ZONE

DAY THREE MATCH REPORT

Yorkshire were on the promotion charge as a thumping 8 wicket win over Glamorgan secured a 22 point victory inside three days at Headingley. 

Andrew Gale’s side must wait until the conclusion of the Derbyshire versus Kent match and the game between Hampshire and Essex before they know the number of points they require from their visit to Chelmsford next week. If Derbyshire cling on for a draw and Essex win the Tyke’s may require a little as 6 points, but the race for promotion looks set to go to the wire.  

Jason Gillespie tweeted after the game, "'Character' is the word that describes our win vs Glamorgan. All us support staff are very proud of the lads." And after Glamorgan were 124-0 early on the first afternoon you would have got long odds on Yorkshire securing a win within three days. The team battled hard and exhibited that mental strength their coach is so proud of.

Sometimes chasing targets of around 111 can be problematic, but Adam Lyth allayed fears when he punched James Allenby through midwicket for four and cracked him through cover for a second boundary.

Lyth has been in majestic form this match. As most supporters crave a season's climax Lyth must wish there were still months to go as he gets back to his very best. His fifty came in 57 balls with his ninth four.

Root however was lbw Glover for 11 to make the score 63-1, but the White Rose county were only 48 from victory. Lyth reverse swept at Dean Cosker and was on his way too.

Phil Jaques pulled Glover for six over deep square just after Gary Ballance had struck the spin of Cosker over mid-on only to be dropped by Will Bragg running back. But the pair who have been so strong in Yorkshire's top order this summer banished any wobbles and secured the win when Ballance glided a four through extra-cover.

Yorkshire started the day with Glamorgan 45 runs adrift of making the Tykes bat again. It was going to be a pivotal morning session and Yorkshire took first blood.

Moin Ashraf comprehensivley bowled the dangerous Will Bragg (25) and then in his next over had Stewart Walters caught behind. David Lloyd will not remember a pair on debut fondly when he fell the same way second time around as Steve Patterson got some extra bounce and saw Andrew Hodd snaffle the edge.

Glamorgan had lost 3 wickets for 1 run in 20 balls as Andrew Gale's men tightened their grip. An edged four to third man off Ryan Sidebottom saw Glamorgan ensure that Yorkshire would have to bat again.

A sixth wicket stand of 55 between Jim Allenby and Ben Wright started to fustrate the hosts but the mercurial Anthony McGrath trapped the latter lbw for 21 as Glamorgan became 101-6 with a lead of 29 runs.

The lunch score of 113-6 became 125-7 when Allenby was bowled by Ashraf. Mark Wallace was lbw Sidebottom for 17 and Dean Cosker was caught by Sidebottom at mid-off when attempted to crack Patterson over the top.

A troublesome stand of 33 runs was ended when Azeem Rafiq had Wagg caught behind for 36 in 31 balls. It was the next ball after he had launched Sidebottom through the hands of Joe Root running in from deep square.

The Tykes were dominant and the season now boils down to four days in Chelmsford.

As this is the final day of the home season I'd like to personally thank everyone who has been kind enough to thank me for my work on the website, twitter, etc throughout the season. Your support has been appreciated both on and off the field.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

@Yorkshireccc
james.buttler@yorkshireccc.com  

DAY TWO MATCH REPORT

Steve Patterson claimed two late wickets to leave Yorkshire on top of this LV= County Championship fixture against Glamorgan as he claimed 2-9 in 6 overs to leave Glamorgan 27-2 and 45 runs adrift at the close.

Patterson roared in from the Kirkstall Lane End to have Nick James (4) and nightwatchman John Glover dismissed in successive balls, the first to a smart catch by Andrew Hodd and the latter to an excellent chance to the right of Adam Lyth at second slip.

Yorkshire's quest for runs beneath the sun at Headingley had begun with some crisp strokeplay from Adam Lyth and the wicket of the LV= Breakthrough Player of the Year Joe Root. The opener had made 14 when he played back to a delivery from Graham Wagg which kept perilously low and saw the umpire's finger raised as the ball bounced off his shins.

Phil Jaques (13) left a ball that nipped back and took his off pole from Jim Allenby and Yorkshire were 70-2.

From then on Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth played some serene cricket. They added 120 for the third wicket before Lyth perished for 95 after going for 93 in the last game at Headingley against Derbyshire. Lyth had played some beautiful shots in his 138-ball innings which included 14 fours. He played slightly across a ball from John Glover, but replays and player reaction strongly suggested that there was more than a hint of bat on ball involved in the lbw.

There had been a number of signs of variable bounce on day two and Andrew Gale, who has found many different ways of getting rid of his wicket this summer, will have been devastated to have been bowled by a ball from Wagg that came through mariginally above toe height. His 55 was only his second Championship fifty of the season.

At 200-4 Yorkshire's innings could go one of two ways, but Anthony McGrath resumed a season that has been as effective as anyones. Two trademwark cover drives took him through the gears. He stroked the spin of Dean Cosker high into the Rugby Stand. Gary Ballance punched Allenby through extra-cover and as the 250 came up still four-down the Tyke's position strengthened again.

Ballance however was bowled while driving loosely at Allenby for 26 and Yorkshire were 261-5, still 11 runs behind. When 5 runs adrift Allenby had Andrew Hodd caught at second slip by Waters. 

Just after 3.30pm Azeem Rafiq pushed a single into the covers to bring Yorkshire level and then a ball that lifted off a length beat everyone and the four byes edged the Tykes ahead as the sides went for tea.

Rafiq played Glover gloriously through the covers but then followed up with an airy waft and was caught behind by a diving Wallace. Yorkshire led by 11 runs.

Steve Patterson joined forces with Ryan Sidebottom and, despite being droped by Waters on 12 when the score was 318-8, important runs were added. Both men are handier lower order bats than they are often given credit for.

Sidebottom pulled Glover to the fence and in the next over Patterson repeated the shot off Wagg to some of the biggest cheers heard from the Headingley faithfull this summer as the lead stretched past fifty. It's amazing what sunshine can do to one's perpective.

Patterson was bowled by Allenby for 22 and Sidebottom edged Wagg behind for 35 as Yorkshire's innings closed on 344 and a lead of 72 runs. It gave them 11 overs to try and make inroads into Glamorgan's second dig.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY ONE MATCH REPORT

A morning of frustration turned into a first day of elation as Yorkshire bowled Glamorgan out for 272 after thge visitors had been 124-0 shortly after lunch and then 198-3. Yorkshire survived a tricky six overs before the close, but survived on 20-0 and will resume tomorrow 252 runs behind.

Andrew Gale had won the toss and asked Glamorgan to bat first hoping that the early start and green tinged track would provide his seamers with early assistance. In truth there was little help and the spin of Azeem Rafiq was introduced as early as the 13th over.

At 11.40 Glamorgan had fifty on the board with William Bragg leading the way with 39. He wasn't exhibiting 'The Milkman of Human Kindness' as perhaps his musical namesake would have done towards Yorkshire's promotion dreams.

Nick James, on 16, nicked Rafiq to Adam Lyth's left but the slip fielder got a hand to it but couldn't hold on. Bragg reached his personal fifty from 85 balls including 10 fours and Glamorgan lunched at 103-0 and were by far the happiest of the two dressing rooms.

The afternoon started better for the Tykes. With the opening stand worth 124, Nick James edged Ryan Sidebottom behind for 38 and Will Bragg went the same way off Steve Patterson for a 134 ball 92. David Lloyd on first-class debut was another Hodd victim off Patterson for a duck and Glamorgan were 156-3.

Stewart Walters hit 6 fours in his 42 before playing back to Rafiq and edging to Lyth at slip. Jim Allenby launched Rafiq over long-on to get off the mark with a maximum as the visitors went past 200 and secured their first batting point.

Shortly after tea Sidebottom trapped Wright lbw for 24 and Glamorgan's score became 221-5. 2 runs later Allenby (14) edged McGrath to turn and see the ball flick Hodd's gloves and be caught by Lyth. Four balls later McGrath bowled Graham Wagg for a duck to make it 3 wickets for the Tykes in 20 deliveries.

Patterson bowled Glover for a duck and the score became 257-9 when Mark Wallace (29) was brilliantly caught by Phil Jaques at short leg off Rafiq when he played an authentic leg glance high to the fielder's leg.

The 15-run tenth wicket partnership was ended by Patterson when he had Dean Cosker caught behind. Steve Patterson now has 38 Championship scalps at an average of 23.39 apiece and is a major reason why the Tykes are still in the promotion hunt.

It had been an excellent fightback from the Yorkshire bowlers. They displayed the never-say-die attitude that epitomised this season's Friends Life t20 campaign. A top two finish in the longer format will secure promotion back to the top flight.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY 

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire's promotion push was boosted by a 2 wicket win against Gloucestershire last week in Scarborough and with the Leeds weather set fair further huge strides towards the Holy Grail of a return to the top flight could be made over the next few days.

Don't forget that now we're in September the match will start at 10.30am each day.

Yorkshire name the same 12-man squad that won on the east coast and start this weeks game 19 points shy of top placed Derbyshire and 4 points ahead of third placed Kent.

Anthony McGrath, Yorkshire's hero of the Scarborough run chase, still has his sights set on going up as champions: "Even though it’s been such a disastrous season weather wise, it’s looking like we’ll have a really exciting end, with the Champions League to look forward to as well.

"Our main aim is to make sure we go up, whatever the position. But if we can do it as champions, that would make it all the more sweeter. If the weather’s nice and we get eight full days, you can’t  rule us out of catching Derby.”

With two matches to play the next fortnight is huge for the Club and your support at Headingley would be appreciated.

Glamorgan haven't won at Headingley since 1999 when Matthew Maynard scored 186 en route to a win by an innings and 52 runs.

Unfortunately the form guide for this fixture is limited as Yorkshire's away encounter saw only 34 overs possible in Colwyn Bay. The forecast is good for this week in Leeds so there is every chance of a full match being played.

YORKSHIRE SQUAD

Andrew GALE (capt), Joe ROOT, Adam LYTH, Phil JAQUES, Gary BALANCE, Anthony McGRATH, Andrew HODD (wk), Adil RASHID, Azeem RAFIQ, Ryan SIDEBOTTOM, Steve PATTERSON and Moin ASHRAF.

GLAMORGAN SQUAD

WD Bragg, NA James, SJ Walters, BJ Wright, J Allenby, DL Lloyd, MA Wallace (captain), GG Wagg, AG Salter, JC Glover, DA Cosker and HT Waters (or MT Reed).

The Welsh county have made three changes to their squad which drew with Northamptonshire at Cardiff, with Marcus North, James Harris and Robert Croft being replaced by Andrew Salter, John Glover and David Lloyd. 

With the Australian domestic season starting early ahead of the Champions League tournament in South Africa, Marcus North has returned Down Under to prepare for the start of the new season as Club Captain of Western Australia. 

The match with Yorkshire could see David Lloyd and Andrew Salter make their Championship debuts, with the latter set to sign a full-time professional contract with Glamorgan for 2013, as both are named for the first time in the Welsh county’s squad for a four-day match. Mike Reed is also on standby should Huw Waters fail a fitness test.