County Championship Div 1 Yorkshire v Surrey

Neil Whitaker reports from Scarborough

Day 1

A RECORD breaking unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 239, beating  the 190 made by Jaqueline Rudolph and Adil Rashid at the Oval in 2007, between Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall swung the first day towards Yorkshire after the first session belonged to Surrey.

Tattersall said: “Lyth played unbelievably well, and we put a good partnership on. We’re in the box-seat, but things can change quickly. We had to rebuild and soak up a bit of pressure. Then, when I got into my rhythm, we had a good run-rate throughout the day. It was very pleasing. I’m delighted.”

At 125 for Yorkshire were looking to be dismissed for 200 or less but Lyth hit his  second Championship century on his home ground and Tattersall hit his maiden Championship century for Yorkshire.  He reached his ton when he clipped a juicy leg stump full toss from Jamie Overton to the square leg boundary.  His hundred came from103 balls and included 24 fours.  Lyth clipped the last ball of the day from Ryan Patel to fine leg boundary to bring up his 150.

In the afternoon session Yorkshire added 155 in 34 overs and lost only two wickets.  Lyth and sixth-wicket partner Tattersall had manoeuvred Yorkshire away from danger against the Division One leaders. When they came together Tattersall survived a strong leg before appeal by Dan  Worrall on one  to a full length ball.

Overton said: “They both batted very well. We didn’t bowl our best but that’s cricket. We may have taken our foot off the gas but we weren’t good enough in the afternoon and evening sessions. We have to get some early wickets tomorrow, it’s a fast scoring ground so we’ll try to bowl them out as quickly as we can and try and bat as big as we can.” 

Lyth was under more pressure than normal to do well because Yorkshire only fielded six capped players.  Their number of capped players was increased by one when before play started Jordan Thompson was awarded his first team cap, Yorkshire also included the West Indian, the Archangel, Shannon Gaberial who as an overseas player is a capped player.  Apart from Lyth the other capped players were Dom Bess and captain Steven Patterson.

Lyth did not let his side down.  He lost his opening partner George Hill to the last ball of the first over when he edged Australian Worall to Patel at third slip who took a low catch.  After winning the toss and deciding  to bat Yorkshire were soon in trouble when Yorkshire went two two down when Tom Lawes trapped James Wharton leg before. 

The Whitby born left-handed Lyth reached his fifty which came from 108 balls with a glorious cover  drive to the boundary off Aaron Hardie and included two sixes and eight fours.  He hit consecutive fours off Overton.  Lyth drove Overton to the point boundary, bisecting  two fielders to take him into the nineties.  In his morning spell Lyth and the other Yorkshire players found it hard to get Overton away from the Trafalgar Square end and his first three overs were maidens.

Lyth turned Will Jacks off legs and Tattersall at the non striker's end set off for a single but Lyth wasn’t interested and sent Tattersall back. Patel raced for the ball and fired in a return to the bowlers end and was a direct hit.  Much joy to the astonishment of the Surrey players Tattersall was given not out.

That near mishap was soon banished from his memory as three balls later Lyth reached his 39th class century when he drove Jacks over long off for a six.  His century came from164 balls and included 16 fours and three sixes.

Surrey should have had him when he added another three when on 104 he top edged a pull off Connor  McKerr but the ball looped over the bowlers head and fell between McKerr and Hashim Amla

Tattersall pulled Jacks to the mid wicket boundary to bring up his fifty from 95 balls with seven fours. He came into the side to replace Harry Duke behind the stumps  for his first Championship match since May 2021.  Like,  Lyth he did not let his side down either.  He pulled Jacks to the mid wicket boundary to bring up his first Championship fifty since he hit 92 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2019.

Tattersall added: “ Duke’s been playing and I’ve had to wait for my opportunity. But I’ve felt good all season in the seconds and in the T20s. It took me a little bit of time to get into my rhythm, but when I did I felt good and comfortable. It’s always great batting at Scarborough.

I remember I got a 90 against Notts a couple of years ago. I noticed I was getting close to a hundred, and that might have played a bit on my mind. But this year, I’m trying to throw caution to the wind a bit. Whatever will be will be. And I felt a lot calmer out there today.”

Hardie got his first Championship wicket when Will Fraine went to drive him and edged it to Jacks at speck slip who took a comfortable chest high catch.

Before he had scored on his Championship debut Tom  Luxton flashed hard at McKerr and Jacks couldn’t take the catch and the ball ran to the boundary.  After waiting nine balls to get off the mark with that edgy four he hit a four off the next ball.

McKerr had Luxton on toast and was sure to get his wicket over and on 17 he Luxton caught by Jacks at second slip  off a short ball only to turn to see umpire had called a no ball. To add insult to McKerr’s injury Luxton got a four off the next ball

The first ball after lunch Luxton was strangled down the legside by Ben  Foakes off Jacks.  Worrall got his second wicket of the innings when he aimed one in at Matthew Waite who flicked to Jacks  at third slip who took another comfortable chest high catch.

Day 2

A RECORD breaking unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 239, beating  the 190 made by Jaqueline Rudolph and Adil Rashid at the Oval in 2007, between Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall swung the first day towards Yorkshire after the first session belonged to Surrey.

Tattersall said: “Lyth played unbelievably well, and we put a good partnership on. We’re in the box-seat, but things can change quickly. We had to rebuild and soak up a bit of pressure. Then, when I got into my rhythm, we had a good run-rate throughout the day. It was very pleasing. I’m delighted.”

At 125 for Yorkshire were looking to be dismissed for 200 or less but Lyth hit his  second Championship century on his home ground and Tattersall hit his maiden Championship century for Yorkshire.  He reached his ton when he clipped a juicy leg stump full toss from Jamie Overton to the square leg boundary.  His hundred came from103 balls and included 24 fours.  Lyth clipped the last ball of the day from Ryan Patel to fine leg boundary to bring up his 150.

In the afternoon session Yorkshire added 155 in 34 overs and lost only two wickets.  Lyth and sixth-wicket partner Tattersall had manoeuvred Yorkshire away from danger against the Division One leaders. When they came together Tattersall survived a strong leg before appeal by Dan  Worrall on one  to a full length ball.

Overton said: “They both batted very well. We didn’t bowl our best but that’s cricket. We may have taken our foot off the gas but we weren’t good enough in the afternoon and evening sessions. We have to get some early wickets tomorrow, it’s a fast scoring ground so we’ll try to bowl them out as quickly as we can and try and bat as big as we can.” 

Lyth was under more pressure than normal to do well because Yorkshire only fielded six capped players.  Their number of capped players was increased by one when before play started Jordan Thompson was awarded his first team cap, Yorkshire also included the West Indian, the Archangel, Shannon Gaberial who as an overseas player is a capped player.  Apart from Lyth the other capped players were Dom Bess and captain Steven Patterson.

Lyth did not let his side down.  He lost his opening partner George Hill to the last ball of the first over when he edged Australian Worall to Patel at third slip who took a low catch.  After winning the toss and deciding  to bat Yorkshire were soon in trouble when Yorkshire went two two down when Tom Lawes trapped James Wharton leg before. 

The Whitby born left-handed Lyth reached his fifty which came from 108 balls with a glorious cover  drive to the boundary off Aaron Hardie and included two sixes and eight fours.  He hit consecutive fours off Overton.  Lyth drove Overton to the point boundary, bisecting  two fielders to take him into the nineties.  In his morning spell Lyth and the other Yorkshire players found it hard to get Overton away from the Trafalgar Square end and his first three overs were maidens.

Lyth turned Will Jacks off legs and Tattersall at the non striker's end set off for a single but Lyth wasn’t interested and sent Tattersall back. Patel raced for the ball and fired in a return to the bowlers end and was a direct hit.  Much joy to the astonishment of the Surrey players Tattersall was given not out.

That near mishap was soon banished from his memory as three balls later Lyth reached his 39th class century when he drove Jacks over long off for a six.  His century came from164 balls and included 16 fours and three sixes.

Surrey should have had him when he added another three when on 104 he top edged a pull off Connor  McKerr but the ball looped over the bowlers head and fell between McKerr and Hashim Amla

Tattersall pulled Jacks to the mid wicket boundary to bring up his fifty from 95 balls with seven fours. He came into the side to replace Harry Duke behind the stumps  for his first Championship match since May 2021.  Like,  Lyth he did not let his side down either.  He pulled Jacks to the mid wicket boundary to bring up his first Championship fifty since he hit 92 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2019.

Tattersall added: “ Duke’s been playing and I’ve had to wait for my opportunity. But I’ve felt good all season in the seconds and in the T20s. It took me a little bit of time to get into my rhythm, but when I did I felt good and comfortable. It’s always great batting at Scarborough.

I remember I got a 90 against Notts a couple of years ago. I noticed I was getting close to a hundred, and that might have played a bit on my mind. But this year, I’m trying to throw caution to the wind a bit. Whatever will be will be. And I felt a lot calmer out there today.”

Hardie got his first Championship wicket when Will Fraine went to drive him and edged it to Jacks at speck slip who took a comfortable chest high catch.

Before he had scored on his Championship debut Tom  Luxton flashed hard at McKerr and Jacks couldn’t take the catch and the ball ran to the boundary.  After waiting nine balls to get off the mark with that edgy four he hit a four off the next ball.

McKerr had Luxton on toast and was sure to get his wicket over and on 17 he Luxton caught by Jacks at second slip  off a short ball only to turn to see umpire had called a no ball. To add insult to McKerr’s injury Luxton got a four off the next ball

The first ball after lunch Luxton was strangled down the legside by Ben  Foakes off Jacks.  Worrall got his second wicket of the innings when he aimed one in at Matthew Waite who flicked to Jacks  at third slip who took another comfortable chest high catch.

Day 3

SURREY head into the final day as  favourites to strengthen their position as league leaders of division one of the LV Insurance County Championship as they trail Yorkshire by 71 runs who have eight second innings wickets left.


Jamie Overton said: “To get level was a great effort, Rory Burns and Ben Foakes lead the way but everyone chipped in. We’re in good spirit and hopefully tomorrow we’ll get a crazy hour and who knows what will happen. We believe that we can win the match and we’ll give it a go and see where we get to.”


When Surrey resumed on the third day 330 behind Yorkshire their first priority was to get another 181 to save the follow on and then get as near as possible to Yorkshire’s first innings and if possible pass it, they got within six. 

On 48 Hashim Amla gave an early chance when he edged Steven Patterson but luckily for the South African he used soft hands and the ball fell short off Will Fraine at first slip.  Amla reached his fifty in the next over from Shannon Gabriel, who switched ends and was bowling from the Peasholme Park end, when he turned him off his legs for a single.
  

Amla hit consecutive boundaries off Patterson, the first was absolutely straight just missing the stumps and the second was driven through extra cover.

Rory Burns clipped Gabriel off his legs to the square leg boundary not only to bring up his hundred but Surrey’s two hundred.  His hundred came from 180 balls. 

Jordan Thompson induced an edge from Burns which evaded the slip cordon and ran for a four.  It was Thompson, however, who got the breakthrough, after they had added 141 in 43 overs Amla edged a drive to Adam  Lyth who took a knee high catch at second slip. His 79 came from131 balls with 11 fours and a six.

Burns pulled Thompson to the square leg boundary. On 119 he edged Matthew  Waite just short of stumper Jonny Tattersall and got another boundary.  The Surrey captain looked good to get a big hundred.

Jamie Smith gracefully drilled Dominic Bess to the extra cover boundary, but it was the off spinner who had the last laugh when he found the outside edge of  Smith’s bat and Tattersall took a good low catch.

Surrey made it to lunch with losing another wicket but after lunch they found Gabriel with the new ball a different proposition.  Reverting to bowling down the from the Trafalgar Square end he struck in his second over  sending Burns’ off stump cartwheeling out of the ground.  Burns hit 19 fours in his 359 minute innings.

Overton added: “Burns has  led from the front all season.”

Will Jacks got off the mark by driving Gabriel to the extra cover boundary.  Then Gabriel got his radar off by giving Tattersall a torrid time by hurling the ball down the legside for eight byes.  But Jacks was soon back in the hutch when he dragged a wide ball from Thompson on.

Aaron Hardie raced to 17 from 15 balls with four fours and quickly overtook Ben  Foakes. On 32 he survived a strong leg before appeal from Patterson, in Patterson’s next over Hardie drilled him to the extra cover boundary to take Surrey 10 short off saving the follow on. Then he hooked Patterson for a six over backward square leg.  He drove the next ball to the extra cover boundary to save the follow on. He fell four short off his fifty when Patterson brought Tattersall up to the stumps to prevent Hardie going down the pitch to  him.  Hardie drove over the ball and was bowled.  With Foakes they added 75 in 13 overs.

Foakes punched George  Hill to the cover boundary to bring up the Surrey 400 and their fifth batting point and he was unbeaten on 86 when the Surrey innings ended. His fifty from 107 balls with seven fours when he guided Gabriel to the point boundary.

Following his exploits in the Headingley test Overton was keen to repeat.  After surviving a leg before appeal from Bess, he launched the next ball over the long on boundary for a six.  He made a quick 32 before Gabriel got his second wicket when Overton top edged him to Thompson on the square leg  boundary edge.

On two Tom  Lawes flicked Bess to James Wharton at short leg but the ball hit him before he had time to react.  Lawes danced down the wicket to Bess, almost yorked him and Tattersall picked up his second stumping of the innings.  Two balls later McKerr feathered Bess to Tattersall.  After seeing two wickets go in the over Dan  Worrall  went down the pitch to Bess and hammered him over long-on for a six.

When Worrall joined Foakes Surrey were 54 behind when Worrall became Tattersall’s third stumping victim of Bess,  Surrey were six behind. 

Bess said: “I want to contribute to the team, I’m happy with how it’s gone today for me.”

With 10 balls left in the day Lyth gloved Overton to Foakes.  Two balls later he trapped night watchman Bess leg before for a duck.  Overton added: “I don’t think I bowled my best in the first innings, my run up was all wrong and today I got back to doing what I did at the start of the season.”

Bess added: “Lyth got a good one at the end and me getting out has made it a little bit tougher for us. Our plan is to bat well and get to a lead where we don’t lose the game. We could even give them a bit of a scare later on.  You never know with a game of cricket when it comes down to the last two hours of the game. But our biggest thing is not letting them win this game.  If we can draw tomorrow and come away with quite a few points, I think that’s a real positive considering they’re top of the table.”

Day 4

SURREY beat Yorkshire by four wickets with three balls to spare to win their fifth LV Insurance championship match of the season to maintain a 15 point lead over second place Hampshire.

Guiding them home was an unbeaten seventh wicket partnership of 81 in 16 overs between Ben Foakes and Aaron Hardie.  Foakes hit an  unbeaten 42 to go with his unbeaten 86 in the first innings but Hardie had an unforgettable Championship debut hitting an unbeaten 40 to go with his 46 in the first innings together with a wicket in both Yorkshire innings.

Hardie said: “The first couple of days were hard work in the dirt and we expected the game to be a draw. It was an awesome game to be part of.  In the context of the season it’s a massive win. It was a bit of a dream to come here today and get the win. Everything had to go to plan.  We are going to enjoy the long drive home.

Our plan was to take the game deep, if we did that we knew that we would be in the driving seat, if we lost early wickets then Yorkshire would be in the game.”

When the pair came together Surrey had lost two wickets for seven runs to the pace of Shannon Gabriel.  Gabriel, who had been off the field through injury didn’t come into the Yorkshire attack until there were 19 overs left in the day, he bowled two no balls and he got a wicket when he had Will  Jacks leg before.  Jacks look disappointed with Umpire Chris Watts’ decision.

Gabriel got his second wicket in his next over when he beat Smith for pace and sent his off stump out of the ground. Then Gabriel left the attack clearly unfit and didn’t bowl again in the match, much to the relief of the remaining Surrey batters.

Foakes went down the pitch to Dom  Bess,who came into the attack after six overs and bowled 18,  and clipped to the mid wicket boundary to take the Surrey target to below 50 with seven overs left.  Hardie swung Bess over square leg for a six.  Foakes top edged Bess for another six.  The pivotal over of the Surrey innings was the 39th when they scored 14 off it.

Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson said: “When you look at key moments, I feel like we could have had a 70-75-run lead in the first innings,  but they have a strong lower order who performed. We also have a decent lower order, but it didn’t perform to that level. That, in the end, was telling.”

He added: “You never really find much to be proud about in defeat, but at the same time I am proud of the way we fought with some inexperience in the team, Jonny  Tattersall playing his first game of the season and Tom Luxton making his debut. But it’s another game lost.

“Every game we’ve played in four-day cricket this year has gone down to the last hour, so it says that we’re not conceding an inch. Over time, we’ll find a way to win.  That’s been the one frustration this year. We’ve found ourselves in winning positions in a large number of games and haven’t been able to get across the line.

Tattersall has had to wait for his opportunity, he’s been doing well in the second team, when you give players opportunities as a coach, you want to see them take them. For him to come in and get 180 was fantastic.”

Needing 227 to win in a minimum of 44 overs, Surrey lost their first wicket on the stroke of tea when Bess in his first over pushed one wider off Rory Burns who had danced down the wicket and Tattersall collected another stumping.

After tea Ryan Patel had a torrid time against Bess but he and Hashim  Amla seemed to have weathered the storm when Amla drove  Bess over long on for a six and drove the next ball to the cover boundary. After seeing Amla do that Patel had a big one handed heave ho at Patterson and turned to walk off before Bess at cover completed the catch.

At 64 for two Surrey showed they were still interested by promoting Jamie  Overton to number four.  He got off the mark with a bail six off Bess over long on.  Later he smashed Bess for another six over long on into the crowd.  His entertaining knock came to an end when he played around a slower ball from Jordan Thompson and was leg before.

Amla uppercut Thompson to give  James Wharton catching practice on the third man boundary.

Jacks pulled a short ball from Bess for a six over mid wicket to take the Surrey target to 100 then Gabriel was brought into the attack.

Earlier Jamie Overton took career best figures of six for 61 with four more wickets on the final day.  On a gloomy morning he picked his first wicket of the final day in the fifth over of the morning when he trapped George  Hill leg before. But after 36 minutes of play the umpires took the players off for bad light.  Fives were lost and Yorkshire must have wished the umpires had kept them off longer because Will  Fraine missed the first ball from Dan  Worrall which was hitting the leg stump and was leg before.

Overton came back in the afternoon session to wrap the Yorkshire innings up with three wickets in 22 balls. Thompson edged a drive off him and Jacks took the catch before his face.  Thompson hung about thinking he had hit it into the ground but Matthew Waite told him to go.  Overton got his fifth wicket when Steven Patterson backed away to leg and took his outside edge and Jacks at first slip took a comfortable catch.  Waite top edged a pull off Overton to the square leg boundary but it did keep Gabriel on strike.

Waite top edged a pull off Overton which dropped between three fielders,including Foakes, for a boundary to bring Waite’s highest Championship score.  In the next over he pulled Worrall to the square leg boundary for his maiden Championship fifty.

After driving Overton to the long on boundary Gabriel edged the next ball to give Foakes a simple catch.

Hardie added: “He’s had a massive couple of weeks but he did put in a lot of hard work in their first innings and put us in a good position.”

In the morning session Wharton hit consecutive fours off Worrall the first off his legs to the fine leg boundary and the second to the mid wicket boundary which took Yorkshire’s lead past 100.  After adding 31 in seven overs Wharton became the fourth leg before victim when he missed a straight one from Tom  Lawes.

Hardie bowled straight wicket to wicket and he got a wicket when Luxton didn’t get too far forward and was another  leg before victim.

Surrey found stubborn resistance in the form of Tattersall fresh from first innings unbeaten 180 and Waite. Tattersall clipped Overton off his legs to bring up the fifty partnership with Waite in 19 overs but in the next over Tattersall turned off spinner Jacks to leg and it appeared to be missing leg but Tattersall became sixth leg before victim.

SCORECARD