9:32pm Sunday 12th July 2009
By Chris Parrott
Yorkshire captain Anthony McGrath admits it will be a nail-biting final day against Durham tomorrow - after his side’s inability to take wickets means they will have a tough run chase to win their first LV County Championship game in over a year.
After a gripping day's play at Headingley, the Tykes could eventually only manage to claim six wickets, leaving the league leaders more than 150 runs ahead at the close.
"We will certainly have to dig deep", confirmed Bradford-born McGrath.
"It’s going to be a crucial first hour tomorrow, which will probably decide the game".
"We need to finish them off as quickly as possible but don’t want to be chasing anything over 200."
Disappointingly it had earlier looked like being a much more positive ending for the Tykes after some excellent batting from Cleckheaton’s Andrew Gale on day two set up a big first-innings lead.
In the face of some vicious bowling from England fast bowler Steve Harmison, who took five for 60, the in-form left-hander played a pivotal innings of 84 to hold the Tykes together.
Helped admirably by Tim Bresnan (36), Adil Rashid (32) and Ajmal Shahzad, with a career-best 41, Yorkshire were eventually all out for 313.
That left them with a 135-run advantage and the hope of quick wickets to set up an easy target for victory.
It was heightened after Rashid dismissed Mark Stoneman for just 12 late on day two, and when Matthew Hoggard got nightwatchmen Mark Davies with Durham still 96 runs adrift, there seemed to be only one side in it.
However, that brought Kyle Coetzer and Michael Di Venuto together and they became the first to frustrate with a patiently-built century partnership of 109.
Although it was ended by Hoggard demolishing Coetzer’s off stump for 38 and Di Venuto soon following to Tim Bresnan after making 84, the tone had been set for Durham’s batsmen, Gordon Muchall fell for 15 but Dale Benkenstein and Ian Blackwell showed their experience to move 100 ahead.
Despite Shahzad continually beating the bat and Rana Naved clean bowling Liam Plunkett from a no-ball, only Rashid could make a further breakthrough when he trapped Benkenstein lbw for 32.
"If those decisions had gone our way, we would have been in an excellent position," added McGrath.
"Adil bowled really well all day though and if we come back strongly tomorrow I’m confident we can win."
Durham will start an intriguing final day on 288 for seven - 153 runs ahead with Phil Mustard on 29 and Liam Plunkett on six.
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