It was another 'so nearly' for Yorkshire who staged a staggering comeback against Lancashire at Headingley only to fall 24 runs short of claiming what would have been one of the most memorable victories in their history. Yorkshire take 4 points from the match and Lancashire 22.

MATCH INFO

DAY FOUR REPORT

Despite Lancashire being favourites as Day 4 commenced Yorkshire were in no mood to lie down. Sidebottom and Gale took the attack to Chapple and Keedy with the former speeding to 16 and the latter clattering the spinner over the top to the fence before Sidebottom aimed a drive at Chapple and edged to Tom Smith at 2nd slip. The score was 164-7 and Yorkshire still needed 120 runs to win.

Gale hit Keedy over the top for 4 more, Rashid sept Keedy to the fine leg fence, but Chapple beat Gale to trap him leg before and Yorkshire were 177-8 still 107 runs adrift of victory. The wicket sealed Chapple's first Roses 5-for for ten years.

Rashid became the senior partner. He drove Chapple crisply back past him for 4. He then drove to the extra-cover boundary and the runs required dropped to two figures. Shahzad flicked Keedy through mid-wicket for 4 and something told you the game wasn't over just yet. Kyle Hogg replaced Keedy as Lancs searched for the 2 wickets they required.

Mahmood replaced Chapple and Rashid drove him straight for 4 and Yorkshire were 200-8 as the first hour of the day came to a close. Rashid wristily cut Mahmood through backward point and was mixing attack and defence well as the runs required well to 72. Shahzad smashed Hogg over mid-on to the fence and then played through extra-cover as the pair scampered an all run 4.

I took a walk around the ground and the tension in Headingley was incredible. Everyone was transfixed whether supporting the White or Red Rose. A Yorkshire legend, Sachin Tendulkar, entered the arena at Lord's in search of his 100th international hundred. So near but yet so far as the fifty stand between Shahzad and Rashid was brought up by a flash through point by Shahzad.

Shahzad hooked at Hogg and gloved to Cross behind the stumps. He was on his way for 22 and the pendulum swung again. Enter first innings centurion, Rich Pyrah, to join Rashid with 54 more runs required to win. Rashid cracked Mahmood through backward point for 4 and then lunch came to ease the tension with 40 left to win - how did anyone think they could eat?

Chapple resumed after the break and was driven sweetly back past him by number 11 Pyrah. He then crashed Chapple to the cover fence off the back foot and Yorkshire were 27 runs adrift. But then Keedy had Pyrah lbw and the fight was gone by 23 runs. One man that certainly didn't deserve to leave the field with his head bowed was Pyrah who had played so well. Rashid too deserved more than his 45 not out in a losing cause gave him.

The two Roses matches this season sum up Yorkshire's summer. A couple of poor sessions, some brave often magnificent fight, but ultimately falling short of what it took to draw in Liverpool and win at Headingley. If the Tykes are to get revenge next summer they need to show that fight in during the lasdt five fixtures of the season to ensure that they are in the same divison as Lancashire in 2012.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire confirmed last night that they are one of five counties to put in a 28-day notice for Jack Brooks of Northants who is out of contract at the end of the summer.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY THREE REPORT

Yorkshire had decided to play positively against the new ball as they chased 284 to win a match that has provided drama of the highest order. Joe Root avoided a pair but edged Glenn Chapple to Horton at 2nd slip and Yorkshire were 41-1.

At 80-1 the Yorkshire crowd were starting to believe, but Yorkshire lost two important wickets in 4 balls for 4 runs as Anthony McGrath was lbw to Hogg for 19 and Jacques Rudolph edged Chapple to Horton at 2nd slip. 200 were required as Andrew Gale and Jonny Bairstow joined forces. Gale was on a King pair and edgily played his first ball through gully for four. 

Yorkshire's chase was halted at 96-3 when bad light and then rain prevented play at 5.20pm with 20.2 overs still remaing on Day 3 of an absorbing Roses contest. On th resumption their were 16.2 overs to play and Jonny Bairstow was bowled by Chapple for 16 and Gary Ballance fell at bat and pad off Gary Keedy for a duck to record a Roses pair. Yorkshire were reeling in the evening as Bresnan joined his skipper, but after scoring 11 he edged Chapple to Smith at slip who took an excellent low catch in a penultimate over. Andrew Gale resumes with nightwatchman Sidebottom at 11am on Day 4 on 28 with everything to do to score the 148 required to win this match.

There has certainly been no one at Headingley on any of the first three days who would describe Championship cricket as dull. The drama, tension and intrigue could be the ingredients of an Oscar winning movie. Pyrah has been leading man, Bresnan and Sidebottom the supporting actors and Amdrew Gale the Hitchcockesque director planning the next twist.

Lancashire began Day 3 with a lead of 122 runs with 7 wickets remaining. They started cautiously against Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad and half an hour had passed before the first boundary of the day was struck.

Just as it appeared Lancashire had weathered the early storm Tim Bresnan sent Steve Croft's off-stump cartwheeling backwards and the lead was 139 runs with 6 Red Rose wickets left to fall. Mark Chilton was lbw to Richard Pyrah for 10 and Tom Smith fell leg before to Ryan Sidebottom for 4. Jacques Rudolph dropped a tough chance low to his right from Gareth Cross off Sidebottom, but the momentum was with the Tykes.

Pyrah continued the match of his life when he had Glenn Chapple caught behind by Jonny Bairstow diving well to his right and Lancashire were 71-7 with a lead of 160 runs.

Yorkshire had the better of the morning session as 5 wickets fell for 63 runs. Lancashire nibbled on their lunchtime sandwiches at 96-8 with a lead of 185 runs with 2 wickets to fall, but the momentum shifted again as Mahmood played some clean shots to reach fifty in 48 balls as he and Kyle Hogg's stand for the 9th wicket went to 79.

Mahmood then met the introduction of Adil Rashid with a huge yahoo and was bowled. Lancashire were just in the box seat with a lead of 256 runs. Kyle Hogg took over the assault short arm jabbing a short ball from Shahzad into the East Stand and then smashing him down the ground. He went to his fifty with an edge to fine leg off 65 balls with 8 fours and 1 six.

Keedy pushed to extra cover where Bresnan fielded and Hogg was short of his ground on 52. Lancashire were all out for 194 and the Tykes required 284 runs to win. The match that has had almost everything was beautifully poised with a possible 45 overs and a day still to play. 

Whether Yorkshire win or lose this match, and the way this game has gone anything is still possible, they have played their part in a Roses classic this week.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY TWO REPORT

Lancashire commenced their second innings 89 ahead. Tim Bresnan may have only had time to score an unbeaten 19 with the bat but he raced in to claim two early wickets to reduce Lancashire to 3-2 in their second innings. Shahzad then had Karl Brown caught behind for 27 in the final over and Lancashire are 33-3 overnight with a lead of 122.

The day has belonged to Richard Pyrah though, who rescued Yorkshire from 45-8 with a stunning 117 and shared in a mammoth stand of 154 for the 8th wicket with Ryan Sidebottom (52). It has been an amazing day of Roses cricket.

Yorkshire's morning had started well after claiming the last 3 Lancashire wickets within half an hour, but the batting needed to fire, and so enter Jacques Rudolph, alongside Joe Root, to rapturous appluase and an air of expectancy. The scoreboard even got in on the act proclaiming 'welcome back Jacques'.

Joe Root perished for an 11-ball duck when he edged Kyle Hogg behind and Anthony McGrath joined Rudolph. The pair have formed some prodigious partnerships in season's past. Would that happy marriage be rekindled. Rudolph leant into Hogg and drove sumptuously through the covers and it was like he'd never been away. As the delighted crowd remembered what they'd missed would the trip down memory lane click McGrath back to his freescoring best?

It was asking a lot for the South African to hit the ground running and so it proved. He aimed a backfoot drive through cover and edged Hogg to Mark Chilton in gully for 12. Andrew Gale got a Yorker first up, a splendid Hogg delivery, and went lbw. Yorkshire were 22-3.

Hogg was not finished however. Jonny Bairstow pushed forward at the fifth ball of Hogg's 7th over and was lbw and Gary Ballance shouldered arms to a full straight one next up and was on his way too. Video replays later suggested that the ball would have missed the off-stump by some margin.  

Yorkshire were being humbled by a tremendous spell from the 28-year-old paceman. His next over commenced with the hat-trick ball which Adil Rashid defended, but there was no arguing the fact that Yorkshire were in a big pickle, trailing by 298 runs with 5 wickets left.

Tom Smith replaced Glenn Chapple at the Rugby Stand End and in his second over he had Adil Rashid lbw for 3 as he pushed forward. Throughout the turmoil McGrath was standing bewildered at the non-strikers end. He moved to 14 with a dab off Hogg to Third Man. Any runs were welcome and Yorkshire's hopes rested with their senior man even though he had previously not made a fifty in all cricket this summer. 

At lunch Yorkshire were reeling at 40-6, 288 runs behind. 9 wickets had fallen at Headingley in the morning session and the tenth came in the 4th over after lunch when Shahzad drive flat footed at a wide delivery and edged behind for 4. McGrath then drove firmly in Mahmood's next over and the edge flew hard to Smith's left at 2nd slip where he held a good catch - 45-8.

Richard Pyrah picked up a beautifully timed pull over mid-wicket for 6 off Tom Smith and then whipped him behind square for 4. Pyrah was in no mood to lay down and die. He hit 5 other fours and Ryan Sidebottom added 3 of his own as the fifty partnership arrived in 7 overs. News arrived that Tim Bresnan had made it up from Lord's and was padded up ready to come in at number 11.

Pyrah was playing some terrific shots. His fifty came with a fluent pull over deep square off Chapple and he followed that with a four to fine leg and a cover driven boundary. He had faced only 37 balls for his half century. The hundred partnership came up in 102 balls and Twitter followers were suggesting the Tykes invert the batting order.

Pyrah pulled Hogg into the West Stand to take the score to 184-8 and bring Yorkshire 144 behind to save the follow on. He went to 88 - his highest Championship score, while Sidebottom was closing in on a second Championship fifty of the summer. The pair had added 154 in 30 overs when Chapple trapped Sidebottom lbw for 52 from 103 balls which brought Yorkshire's number 11 to the crease - Tim Bresnan.

Pyrah and Bresnan are great mates but with Pyrah on 97 Bresnan was in danger of losing that friendship! The 200 came when Pyrah nudged to 98 and Yorkshire had a batting bonus point, Pyrah then drove through extra cover for four and the century celebration ensued.

He is having a season to remember with career bests with bat and ball throughout, but to produce the goods in a Roses match when his team were down and out is the highlight of a career that just keeps getting better. His century came in 91 balls, included 11 fours and 3 sixes and is as deserved as any you will see this season.

This Yorkshire side may not be getting the results they desire but there is a tremendous spirit and they never know when they are beaten. As the team grows in experience those fighting attributes will be a major advantage.

With Bresnan at 11 there was a 'tail' that wanted to carry on wagging. At tea Yorkshire are 217-9 and Pyrah remains unbeaten on 109. Bresnan was dropped at slip off Smith when on 5 shortly after the resumption. Pyrah then attempted to cover drive Smith and was caught by Chilton and so ended a truly great Roses knock. Yorkshire were out for 239 and Lancashire held a first innings lead of 89 runs, but it had seemed it would be many many more.

Day 2 had commenced with Yorkshire desperate to grab the final three Lancashire wickets as quickly as possible. Shahzad ended the Sajid Mahmood show of the previous evening when he produced a full ball that took his stumps without adding to his overnight 27 and so ended his 54-run partnership with Glenn Chapple.

Chapple was then hit on the pad by Shahzad and amidst appeals and yes/nos was run out by Anthony McGrath who ran in from slip with a direct hit. Kyle Hogg hit a quick 17 but when he was caught by Bairstow off Sidebottom Lancashire were all out for 328.

It capped a good half hour session for Yorkshire who had taken the last 3 Red Rose wickets for 24 runs and prevented any chance of Lancashire tearing away on the second morning. So often have tails wagged against the Tykes this summer, but not today. It was over to the batsmen - would they stand up and be counted in the first innings of this crunch game? The answer to that question, despite a fantastic Pyrah led recovery, has to be 'no'.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

DAY ONE REPORT

Lancashire have ridden their luck on Day 1 of this Roses match on a day where the Yorkshire bowlers will rue their own fortune. It was arguably the most discilpined display of the season from the seam department who regularly beat the bat after putting the Red Rose into bat. There have been times this season where the Tykes have struggled with the ball - today was not one of them and they deserved more.

Yorkshire's 3,000th Championship encounter opened with a miserly Sidebottom spell as Andrew Gale's decision to bowl first was partially vindicated when his senior paceman nipped one back to trap Stephen Moore lbw for a duck.

Paul Horton, who has an outstanding record against the Tykes, and Karl Brown started to play their shots, particularly off Wardlaw who bowled too many half volleys in an effort to generate swing. That's preferable to bowling too short and he stuck to his task well. 

A false shot from Brown off Wardlaw just evaded Joe Root at 4th slip. Brown then chased a wide ball from Sidebottom with a cross-bat slash and was caught by Jacques Rudolph at 1st slip for 22.

Lancashire lunched at 79-2 but Horton received a lifter from Shahzad which he edged behind to Bairstow and Lancashire at 83-3 were up against a Yorkshire attack putting in disciplined penetrating stints - Richard Pyrah being particularly unlucky not to pick up a wicket.

Sidebottom induced a forward prod from Chilton, on 33, and Anthony McGrath took a smart effort at second slip. McGrath though couldn't hold a chance off Steven Croft when he waved at a ball that passed his right shoulder when the batsman was on 25 and Lancashire 135-4. In his defence it may not have been easy to pick the ball up in poor light.

Croft looked like he was going to make Yorkshire pay for their miss. He and Smith added 77 for the 5th wicket but Shahzad produced a fast Yorker and he was gone for 54 from 108 balls with 8 fours on the stroke of tea. At the tea interval Lancashire were 193-5.

Shahzad, from the Kirkstall Lane End, was bowling as well as he has done all season. His usual pace and venom being mixed with patience and control to make him a real handful.

Only a few overs were possible after tea before light rain forced the players from the field. Bad light was a potential problem too, but play resumed at 5.30pm and Smith wasted no time in going to his fifty from 79 balls and 9 fours. It had been a good knock from the left-hander, but he soon became Iain Wardlaw's maiden first-class victim when he was caught behind for 51. It was just reward for the debutant who may have to make way tomorrow if Tim Bresnan is not picked in the England XI for the Indian Test.

Richard Pyrah picked up a deserved wicket when he had Gareth Cross lbw for 30 and with 11.2 overs to play Yorkshire were looking to end Lancashire's resistence. But Sajid Mahmood had a different script. He deposited Rashid for two straight sixes. Yorkshire took the new ball after 81 overs with the score 282-7 in a bid to spoil Mahmood's fun, but Chapple and Mahmmod brought up their fifty stand from 47 balls before bad light brought an end to the day's proceedings with 3.3 overs still to play.

Mahmood on 27 and Chapple 25 will resume tomorrow morning.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

MATCH PREVIEW

Roses matches are always special occasions but the match starting between Yorkshire and Lancashire at Headingley this week has added significance as Yorkshire play their 3,000th Championship match. The game starts at Headingley on Wednesday.

252 of those encounters have been between the White and Red Rose counties of which Yorkshire have won 75 and Lancashire 51.

After the victory over Worcestershire at Scarborough last week and improved performances of late confidence is high in the Yorkshire camp. The Worcestershire victory has taken Yorkshire out of the relegation zone but with the teams around them having games in hand there is no question of anyone taking their collective feet of the pedals.

A good performance over the next few days and Andrew Gale might be able to have a sneaky look up the LV=CC Division One table. Anything less and talk of relegation struggles continue. Not that anyone needs any excuse to be fully motivated for a Roses encounter.

After the hard fought nature (probably too hard fought at times) of the game at Liverpool, Andrew Gale’s side will be hoping to redress the balance. Any Yorkshire supporter, or indeed player, at the Aigburth Ground in Liverpool at the end of Day 4 will find it hard to forget the awful feeling of defeat after battling so hard in the game. The Lancashire celebrations (and they had every right to celebrate) while the Tykes were picking themselves up off the proverbial floor were hard to take.

THE WHITE ROSE FORUM POLL

The guys on the White Rose Forum are voting on the most outstanding YCCC performance during the Club's 3,000 Championship matches - you can vote and have your say here.

YORKSHIRE SQUAD

Adam LYTH, Jacques Rudolph, Joe ROOT, Anthony McGRATH, Andrew GALE (c), Jonny BAIRSTOW (wk), Gary BALLANCE, Adil RASHID, Richard PYRAH, Ajmal SHAHZAD, Ryan SIDEBOTTOM, Iain WARDLAW, David WAINWRIGHT and Moin ASHRAF.

LANCASHIRE SQUAD

TBC

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