Yorkshire v Surrey (LV County Chanpionship) Day 3

YORKSHIRE will go in search of their third County Championship win of the season on the final day of the LV Division One clash against basement rivals Surrey at Headingley today.

The White Rose were helped to a first innings score of 414-9 by 60’s from Andrew Gale, Jacques Rudolph and Adil Rashid – and a late, entertaining unbeaten 50 from No.11 Deon Kruis.

South African bowler Kruis, who took 5-47 with the ball to bowl Surrey out for 204 on Wednesday’s first day, whacked six fours and one six in his 43-ball knock to give his side a lead of 210 going into today’s final day.

The Tykes did seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place late on as they were unsure as to whether to declare and have a go at Surrey with the ball, or go for the five maximum batting points received for getting 400.

But Kruis and Rashid, in a last wicket partnership of 87, have set up what promises to be a thrilling final day.

Yorkshire had fallen to 327- 9, despite 64 and 63 for Rudolph (64 off 106 balls) and Gale respectively, as Surrey’s West Indian pace bowler Pedro Collins claimed 3-74 from 24 overs.

Rashid notched his second half century of the season off 116 balls with six fours, finishing on 67 not out, while Kruis celebrated like a mad man when he claimed his first ever fifty for Yorkshire.

Captain Darren Gough will almost certainly declare overnight, as he looks to cement the visitors’ place at the foot of the table.

Head groundsman Andy Fogarty and his three-man team deserve a great deal of credit for getting the playing surface fit for a prompt 11am start yesterday.

Play on Thursday was abandoned at 1.40pm with puddles on the outfield. The mother of all storms at 4am yesterday swamped the ground. But Fogarty arrived at 5.15am, and his groundstaff soon after to begin mopping up.

When play started, Gale (63 off 117 balls) and Chris Taylor put on 82 for the first wicket.

Taylor finished with 23 – as did Gerard Brophy in the afternoon session. Adam Lyth continued his good run of form with a solid 36.

Surrey’s pace bowler, the 19 year-old, Chris Jordan bowled superbly to take away figures of 2-53 from 18 overs.

The Tykes are waiting on the fitness of vice captain Anthony McGrath before naming a squad for tomorrow’s Pro40 Division Two clash against Leicestershire at Headingley.

McGrath has missed the last two Championship matches with a hamstring injury.

But Rana Naved-ul- Hasan is expected to return from the neck/shoulder injury he picked up in the four-day defeat at Nottinghamshire.

■ The ECB will decide on Monday whether Azeem Rafiq can play for the rest of the summer as an English qualified player.

SCOREBOARD

Yorkshire v Surrey At Headingley Carnegie

Yorkshire First Innings Close

A W Gale c Batty b Dernbach ................63

C R Taylor lbw b Jordan .......................23

A Lyth c Batty b Nicholson ...................36

J A Rudolph run out ............................64

G L Brophy c Batty b Jordan .................23

R M Pyrah b Collins .............................12

A U Rashid not out ..............................67

T T Bresnan c Jordan b Dernbach ........10

D J Wainwright hit wicket b Collins ......19

D Gough b Collins .......................... 1

G J Kruis not out .................................50

Extras (b4 lb18 w3 nb16 pens 5) 46

Total 9 wkts (126 overs).......... 414

Fall: 1-82 2-104 3-149 4-220 5-240 6-257 7-282 8-323 9-327

Bonus Pts: Yorkshire 3 Surrey 1

Bowling: Collins 24-4-74-3. Dernbach 21-3- 92-2. Nicholson 21-4-69-1. Saqlain Mushtaq 33-8-77-0. Afzaal 4-0-12-0. Jordan 18-5-53- 2. Walters 5-1-10-0.