TIM BRESNAN dismissed criticism of Yorkshire’s occupation of the crease after they dominated the second day of their crucial championship match against Nottinghamshire and moved within sight of the title.

Having resumed on 319 for four, Sky Sports commentators were critical of Yorkshire taking 78.2 overs to add a further 213 runs before declaring on 532 for nine and taking four early wickets to leave Nottinghamshire struggling on 58 for four by the close of the second day, needing a further 325 to save the follow on.

The tone was set by Gary Ballance, who took 18 overs to score 17 runs before falling lbw to Gary Keedy, the former Yorkshire left-arm spinner, just one short of his third Yorkshire century of the season.

Bresnan was equally cautious in his approach, taking 190 balls to reach 95 before clipping to mid-wicket and hasten the declaration to give Yorkshire 15 overs to bowl at Nottinghamshire before the close.

But Bresnan defended Yorkshire’s approach and believes, with time taken out of the game, it can only benefit them as they attempt to secure the victory that would guarantee their first title since 2001.

“There’s been a lot of criticism with how we’ve batted but for me it’s all about keeping them out there, get as many runs as we can and let the game take its natural course.

“As soon as we passed 400, then it was just a case of grinding them into the dirt,” said Bresnan. “It’s there for them to chase then and it’s a game that’s going to be very difficult for us to lose from this point.

“We know when we’ve been two and a half days or a day and a half in the dirt, you’re weary and although the boys bowled really well.

There’s going to be that floating around, with the lapses of concentration and that just helps us, really.”

“If you take everything into context, with the championship as it stands and the sort of points that Notts are after from this game, that just keeps our noses in front. We looked at the wicket and thought we needed as many as we can and taking time out of the game they are going to have to chase it and that should create chances to bowl them out. “

Ballance was one of two morning victims for Keedy, shuffling across his crease to fall lbw, while Jack Leaning fell in similar fashion for 42, hit on the pads to a delivery that turned towards his off-stump.

Watched by James Whitaker, the National Selector, Adil Rashid may also have caught his eye for the winter by hitting an enterprising 42 before he clipped Luke Fletcher to mid-wicket, while Steve Patterson became Keedy’s fifth victim when he fell lbw padding up.

Bresnan battled hard for over three hours to put him in contention to score his first century for Yorkshire since scoring an unbeaten 101 against Warwickshire at Scarborough in 2007, only to fall five runs short, but having batted time to leave Nottinghamshire weary.

“The message came out and I might not have got that close if I hadn’t hit a few,” said Bresnan. “You suddenly look up and you’re on 90-odd and you think you have a chance but that’s just the game.

“To bat time, I don’t mind doing that, but it was quite an attritional wicket and Keedy has bowled pretty nicely. Credit to them and the way they stuck at it, but the way we played was the way we should have played. We’re happy with the way the day went.”

Nottinghamshire’s tiredness was evident when they began their reply with Jack Brooks’ fourth ball tempting Alex Hales into edging behind to earn the early breakthrough followed by two wickets in four balls for Ryan Sidebottom, who won two championships with Nottinghamshire in 2005 and 2010.

Steven Mullaney drove loosely and was caught above his head by Adam Lyth at second slip and three balls later, James Taylor played a tired-looking shot, reaching for a wide ball that found Ballance at third slip.

Samit Patel fell three overs later, pushing at Brooks and was caught low down by Ballance again at third slip, but stood his ground until the umpires consulted with television replays to ensure the catch was clean.

Michael Lumb, another former Yorkshire player, and Riki Wessels teamed up to bat out the remaining nine overs and ensure Yorkshire did not make further inroads, but Yorkshire remain ruthlessly on top as they set their sights on their title celebrations.

SCORECARD

Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire
At Trent Bridge.
Overnight: Yorkshire 319-4 (A Lyth 122,
A Z Lees 86, G S Ballance 82 no).

Yorkshire First Innings
G S Ballance lbw b Keedy ...................99
J A Leaning lbw b Keedy.......................42
A U Rashid c Wessels b Fletcher.......42
T T Bresnan c Wessels b Mullaney....95
S A Patterson lbw b Keedy .................. 17
R J Sidebottom not out ........................... 4
Extras (b4 lb6 nb2 pens 0) 12
Total 9 wkts dec (174.2 overs)532
Fall: 1-176 2-271 3-289 4-298 5-362
6-387 7-433 8-490 9-532
Did Not Bat: J A Brooks.
Bowling: Fletcher 30-11-73-2. Gurney
34-4-124-1. Ball 24-3-73-0. Keedy 50-2-
163-5. Mullaney 16.2-4-37-1. S R Patel
20-3-52-0.

Nottinghamshire First Innings
S J Mullaney c Lyth b Sidebottom......... 9
A D Hales c Bairstow b Brooks ............ 0
M J Lumb not out....................................35
J W Taylor c Ballance b Sidebottom .... 0
S R Patel c Ballance b Brooks.............. 0
M H Wessels not out............................. 14
Extras (pens 0) ....................... 0
Total 4 wkts (15 overs) .......58
Fall: 1-8 2-12 3-12 4-25
To Bat: C M W Read, L J Fletcher, J T
Ball, H F Gurney, G Keedy.
Sidebottom 6-1-20-2. Brooks 5-1-23-2.
A U Rashid 2-0-3-0. Patterson 2-0-12-0.