OLD TRAFFORD

(Day three of four)

Lancashire 231

Yorkshire 234 for two (A McGrath 99, A Gale 111*)

Lunch

After a delayed start, Lancashire added a further 27 runs before losing their last two wickets to be dismissed for 231 in their first innings. Steven Croft and Gary Keedy, the ninth-wicket pair, had added 66 before Croft was caught at long-off from the bowling of Adil Rashid for 68.

Rashid then completed a five-wicket haul when Sajid Mahmood sliced a drive to point.

As Yorkshire began their reply, Dominic Cork gave his own response to Lancashire’s decision to release him at the end of the season. With his fifth ball, Cork had Chris Taylor leg-before, prompting an inevitable gesture from the bowler towards the committee balcony. Never one to miss an opportunity to make a point, he will want to make a few more statements with the ball this afternoon.

Tea

An excellent afternoon for Yorkshire, for whom this is an important game following their descent into the relegation zone after the defeat to Hampshire last week. On this easy-paced pitch, Lancashire’s attack has lacked menace as Anthony McGrath and Andrew Gale extended their second-wicket stand by 88 runs in the session to an unbroken 143 by tea.

The loss of the first day to rain means that a draw remains the most likely result, but if their batsmen continue to prosper, Yorkshire may attempt to push for a declaration some time tomorrow. For the time being, McGrath and Gale are content to proceed at three an over, putting their side in a strong position at tea.

Close

Andrew Gale and Anthony McGrath continued to apply themselves superbly after tea to maintain Yorkshire’s hopes of forcing a result on Friday. McGrath was given leg-before shortly before the close off Francois du Plessis for 99 off 222 balls, ending a second-wicket stand of 215, but Gale reached his third hundred of the season from 265 balls.

Yorkshire are three runs ahead and could contemplate making a declaration in the morning, but their chances of forcing a victory have been hampered by a run-rate below three an over. From their position in the relegation zone, they may prefer the pursuit of a few more bonus points.