CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Yorkshire 64-1, Durham 178 (Yorkshire 3pts)

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Next Match : July 15 | PRO40: Yorkshire vs. Worcester (Worcester)

Well here we go(again)weather forecast good we should get the majority of the last 3 days in play, we are in a great position after day 1 looked a top side yesterday in every department,the fans were again supporting the lads in large numbers for a CC game and will no doubt be again today, and with the Tetley bitter being off for some technical reason had to sample the Marstons which tasted like wine.So alls set for today
COME ON YORKSHIRE

Harmison strikes early to remove Mags and Sayers. 74/3 and the game is back in the balance. (Bowling himself back into the Ashes series maybe).

Rashid and Bresnan should stabilise the middle order and Rana and Shahzad can give it a biff late on.

But with wickets falling it seems running out of time won't be a problem.

While some of you continue to stick to the illusion that batting Rudolph as an opener is actually working, the overall effect of this foolish decision continues to reverberate. Not only has our opening partnership reverted "to form" and put up a succession of poor scores, but the middle order continues to be destabilized and perform poorly. Surely a batter of Rudolph's pedigree would be more useful coming in 4th, and shoring up our fragile early middle than he is getting out early as an opener.

McGrath is perfectly capable of opening, especially now that Sayer is back in form, and should show the leadership we need and bat at #2.

Do we ever learn?

Here, here, Alan.

If we go down this season (likely now), it will not be because of a lack of talent. It will be because of poor decision-making regarding who plays in which matches and where they play in the lineup. Yorkshire are probably the only team in England who would be batting a natural stroke-maker like Rudolph as an opener, while their middle order crashes match after match. What a load of bollocks.

Frankly, the thought of second division cricket for Yorkshire next season makes me physically ill. Where's the pride gone?

All is not lost. If Gale and Bressy can put on another 50-75 or so and Yorkshire can get to the 250 range, I'd say on this wicket we should win the match.

I too would like to see some changes in the batting lineup, and especially moving Rudolph to #4 and McGrath to #2. In the normal scheme of things it should be Rudolph and Gale batting now to save the innings - something I'd be much more comfortable with at this stage of the match.

I was surprised to hear the commentators say yesterday that the opening partnership had righted itself this season, when the results and the numbers show nothing of the sort.

So far in 2009, Yorkshire have had only THREE 50+ opening partnerships through 7.5 matches. The last FOUR matches have yielded 35, 26, 15, 9, 0 and 9, with an overall season average a decidedly mediocre 39.5 runs and falling fast.

And Rudolph has been very inconsistent out of the opener's spot, especially when his first innings batting (87.75) is compared to his second innings (31.4). Excluding his two top innings, he is batting around 28 as an opener in 2009.

"And Rudolph has been very inconsistent out of the opener's spot, especially when his first innings batting (87.75) is compared to his second innings (31.4)"

Which is pretty much the same as last year when he was in the middle order. In fact, the second innings average might be higher.

"Excluding his two top innings, he is batting around 28 as an opener in 2009."

Take out the top 15% of player's innings and their average does tend to go down a bit.

Meanwhile, we have a first innings lead over the 2008 champions and 2009 leaders - a cause for at least temporary celebration. But if everyone would prefer to moan and groan, we can do that instead.

Hi Rey

Are you the Rey Earl how emails Cally? If so I really your comments and insights

"Take out the top 15% of player's innings and their average does tend to go down a bit. "

By 50%?

Yes, Rey but last year Yorkshire's middle order were a lot less fragile. Of course we need our top stroke maker at 4th.

What are the odds that:

a) Yorkshire loses a wicket just before the tea interval?
b) Yorkshire are all our for 249?

Any takers?

I'll take that bet!

And what a class innings from Gale to hold the innings together.

A great fight-back by the lads. It nice to see us with a first innings lead, and now its back to the bowlers. A wicket before the end of the day would be the frosting on the cake.

You got it. Rashid! (We'll miss him!)

No I'm not Ray Earl, this is a nom de plume which I use across cricket forums.

Great bowling effort and then a good lead, I'm confident we can chase 150 to win but any more and the nerves will be going.

We still have a lot to do in this match. I also do not fancy us chasing more than 150 in the fourth innings.

You're all strangely subdued! i thought we saw an excellent fighting performance today - on previous occasions we would have rolled over and been all out for 150. Instead we saw a remarkably gritty and mature performance by Gale - he has made huge strides forward this year. From an atrractive biffer, he's matured into a quality and adaptable batsman. he's currently the rock in our team. Rashid, Bres and Rana played well - but I though Ajmal was outstsanding. He's a gebuine all rounder these days - can't belive he was batting at 10 today - but our batting line up is that strong.
Rashid's late wicket was the icing on the cake - looking at the turn Blackwell was getting I think he could be our match winner tomorrow.
One small quibble - why did Mags start with two slips and a deep square leg for Bres and Hoggy asianst De Venuto - I know he's good but even the best batsmen are vulnerable to begin with and there were only five overs to go.
Favourite moment; When Mags literally picked up Lyth and moved him closer at short leg...
Beautiful days cricket. If we play like this we won't get relegated...

I think we are holding our collective breath, Steve. After all this was a very unlikely scenario prior to the match.

I might juts avoid this site and Cricinfo for the next two days, as not to spook the team. Besides, my nerves can't take too this much pressure.

I didn't post yesterday when I returned home but felt that I should do today following my return at the close of play today.

So far, those at Headingley have witnessed 2 days of a very gritty performance by the team, yesterday when Durham were 49-0 , we were already looking down and out but what a difference that super run out by McGrath made......apart from a spell this morning when Harmison was steaming in, we haven't really looked back. Great knocks today fron Gale, Shazad,Rashid, who received an awful LBW decision from Mr Gough , and Rana. I'm not sure what sort of shot that was by Hoggard to get out but if he could have hung on for another couple of balls then I would have backed Shazad to get his maiden half-century from a Durham attack that looked frankly desperate at that stage.

A nice end to the day with Rashid's wicket and now let's all hope that the Team can continue to work hard and push for the victory their performance in this game so far deserves.

As I wasn't around on Saturday evening I'll add my comments. Gale did bat excelently ... we did wonder if there had been some kind of brain transfer between Sayers & Gale as Joe hiy out & Windy didn't .. although it must be said that Sayers was unlicky to be caught out by Stoneman at short leg ... the ball was moving. Lyth got himelf out. Naved & Shahzad dids a good job of ruining Blackwell's figures ... after 10 overs he'd gone for 12.

It must be said that for once we fought well ... at 93-5 we expected a defecit & ended up with over a 100 run lead. Rashid bowling Stoneman gave us great hope for Sunday