Yorkshire chased down the 314 runs to beat Gloucestershire in a minimum of 84 overs on day four as Phil Jaques with 79 and Anthony McGrath with an unbeaten 76 showed all their experience to secure victory by 2 wickets. Yorkshire take 19 points and are 4 points clear of third placed Kent with only two matches to play.

MATCH ZONE

DAY FOUR MATCH REPORT

Yorkshire chased down the 314 runs to beat Gloucestershire in a minimum of 84 overs on day four as Phil Jaques with 79 and Anthony McGrath with an unbeaten 76 showed all their experience to secure victory by 2 wickets. Yorkshire take 19 points and are 4 points clear of third placed Kent with only two matches to play.

At lunch Yorkshire were 82-1 after 241 runs were scored in the morning session. Adam Lyth had provided the perfect start to the chase alongside Joe Root, but he was the only wicket to fall before lunch when he pulled Anthony Ireland straighy to Liam Norwell at mid-on. He had looked a million dollars before playing one shot too many.

Joe Root had also looked composed. The man tipped by many to replace Andrew Strauss as England's Test opener had showed good judgment in his 43, which included 5 fours, before walloping a long hop from Norwell straight to Dan Housego at deep mid-wicket. Andrew Gale (14) wasn't at his best before being caught by Hamish Marshall at slip off Jack Taylor.

By tea the score had moved on to 183-3 and the Tykes required 131 runs in a minimum of 32 overs, but they lost the hero of Bristol Gary Ballance (5) in the first over after the break and then Phil Jaques drove Fuller straight to Iain Cockbain at point.

To me it seems that Anthony McGrath has been fighting hard to prove a point during a very good personal season. In a young side his experience has been crucial in the middle of the order. His years looked to have proved vital with defence mixed with punches on both sides of the wicket as the required runrate was around 5 an over with 15 left to play. 

But rain arrived, although it wasn't strong enough to take the players from the field. Hodd was lbw to Gidman for 8 and Yorkshire were 245-6 with 13.5 overs left.

Adil Rashid cracked through extra cover as the required rate remained 5 an over and then successive McGrath boundaries saw him to fifty in 53 balls with the latter being his 8th four. He was dropped a ball later when a stinging return chance went begging - it was to be his day.

With 10 overs left 47 were needed and Yorkshire looked to be back in command but then a lifter from Gidman to Rashid was caught behind.

McGrath continued with Azeem Rafiq and 31 runs were required from the last 6. 14 were scored from the fourth from last over and Yorkshire requred 2 from the last three.

Rafiq launched Norwell high into point's hands but McGrath drove to third man with 16 balls remaining. The freedom of Scarborough awaits and if he has goats he should be allowed to steer them along the beach at any time!!

A bright and sunny morning saw the captain's agree a contrived game. In 12 overs of Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth rolling their arms over the Gloucestershire batsmen scored 159-0 to leave Yorkshire needing 314 runs in a minimum of 84 overs.

Benny Howell, with 83 from 34 balls and 2 sixes and 14 fours, alongside Rob Nicol, who hit 75 from 26 balls with 3 sixes and 13 fours, filled their boots, but we had a match on our hands after two days of gloom.

JAMES BUTTLER at SCARBOROUGH

DAY THREE MATCH REPORT

We woke up in Scarborough this morning hoping to open the curtains to see that yesterday's rain had vanished and seagulls were soaring through fluffy white clouds. No such luck I'm afraid as day three in Scarborough disappeared the same way as day two.

Yorkshire have now lost 2,233 overs beneath the covers out of a possible 5,376 playable during the season. That's 41.54% of the summer lost to bad weather.

An alternative way of looking at it is in minutes. The players have spent 8,561 minutes while unable to take the field which equates to 23.78 days out of a possible 55 in the Championship which have been unplayable which bizarrely gives a higher rained off percentage of 43.18%.

However you calculate it, this season's weather has been shocking.

JAMES BUTTLER at SCARBOROUGH

DAY TWO MATCH REPORT

Despite a number of inspections play on Wednesday never looked likely as steady rain consumed the east coast resort.

In the absence of cricket today the press box had gone off on a slight tangent. Here's a story I'll share with you.

Alice Cooper, the 'School's Out' rock star was on Test Match Special during the recent Test series and was introduced to Yorkshire President Geoffrey Boycott. Someone brought Geoffrey forward, with an immaculate forward defensice push I'm sure, and said: "Geoffrey meet Alice Cooper".

Geoffrey promptly moved forward and shook hands with the singer's wife and said, "Nice to meet you love."

I'm here all week.

I hope to get back to the cricket chat and description tomorrow. Yorkshire need to get on the pitch and let's hope for two full day's play.

JAMES BUTTLER at SCARBOROUGH

DAY ONE MATCH REPORT

Yorkshire bowled out Gloucestershire for 215 and closed on 61-2 still 154 runs behind the vistors with 8 first innings wickets still remaining.

When Yorkshire's reply to Gloucestershire's 215 began Adam Lyth was caught behind for a second ball duck and next ball Will Gidman found Phil Jaques outside edge only to see a simple chance shelled by Jack Taylor at cover.

In the next over Liam Norwell's second ball found Joe Root's edge and the simplest of chances fell from keeper Jon Batty's midrift. The Tykes should have been 0-3. Root was then given another chance by Howell at first slip off Gidman, which could have made it 4-1. But it hadn't and could the Tykes prosper.

Jaques however was caught behind off Gidman, but Root and Andrew Gale steadied the ship from 16-2 to add an unbroken third wicket partnership of 45 before close. They will hope they can develop that stand further in the morning as the Tykes push for a healthy first innings lead. 

Gloucestershire had won the toss and belected to bat. Before play got underway both Gary Ballance and Joe Root received their county caps from Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale.

The chips were down and points were vital and Yorkshire needed to exert early pressure. They did just that in reducing the vistors to 9-4 with Steve Patterson grabbing three early scalps with the other going to Moin Ashraf.

Ian Cockbain and Will Gidman added 65 for the fifth wicket as Gloucestershire fought back, but Cockbain was caught by Phil Jaques at short-leg off Azeem Rafiq.

Gidman made 47 before he was caught by Adam Lyth at slip off Ashraf and James Fuller was lbw to Rafiq to make the score 107-7 but then the Gloucestershire lower order rallied.   

Jack Taylor counter-attacked with 49 from 43 balls including 7 fours and a six and with Jonathan Batty added 56 for the eighth wicket, Taylor, trying to force through mid-on, was caught and bowled by Rafiq and Batty was bowled by an Ashraf yorker to make the score 179-9.

The final pair then added 36 before Liam Norwell was caught behind off Rashid to leave Anthony Ireland unbeaten on 25. It had been an excellent performance by a depleted seam attack missing Ryan Sidebottom (back) and Richard Pyrah (hand).

JAMES BUTTLER at SCARBOROUGH

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire have to pick themselves up after the excitement, fatigue and ultimate disappointment of their Finals Day excursion to Cardiff for a three match LV= County Championship run-in that will decide their promotion fate this season.

The business end of the season starts with the 126th Scarborough Festival match against Gloucestershire commencing on Tuesday.

Yorkshire are currently in third place in the table trailing Derbyshire by 30 points and Hampshire by 13 points with a game in hand on their FLt20 conquerors. Kent, Northants and Essex form a queue of teams behind Yorkshire who will still believe they can seal promotion themselves.

Yorkshire’s final two matches are against Glamorgan at Headingley and Essex at Chelmsford. Promotion back to the top flight has been the season long aim and the next few weeks will decide the Tykes fate after a rain ravaged summer. All we can ask for is three full games which allows the best team to secure a promotion berth.

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.

Rich Pyrah had been selected but misses out after reinjuring the hand he broke earlier in the season. He will return to Leeds tomorrow to have the injury assessed.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE SQUAD

TBC