Letting teams off the hook is rapidly becoming the theme of Yorkshire’s season so far.
For the fifth time in 2011, the Tykes had an opposition on the ropes yesterday, before ultimately failing to land the crucial knockout blow which would have seen them on their way to a victory.
This is after Nottinghamshire recovered from 291-8 to post a competitive first-innings total of 428 at Trent Bridge.
Although the Tykes then extended their lead to 123 runs after reaching the close on 17-0, it meant the game now looks to be heading for a draw on the final day rather than a Yorkshire win.
The fact this sort of turnaround has happened on numerous occasions already this year makes this latest disappointment all the more frustrating.
Yorkshire could arguably be staring at a seventh straight win in all competitions had they been able to convert good starts into victories.
As well as failing to chase down just 145 to beat Nottinghamshire in the reverse fixture last month, the Tykes also had Durham at 223-8 in their first innings before losing. On top of this they have also failed to chase down two easily attainable victory targets in their first two Clydesdale Bank 40 games.
There certainly seemed little to worry about at Trent Bridge yesterday, after some poor shots from Nottinghamshire had helped Yorkshire pin the defending champions to 277-7 at tea. This became 291-8, in reply to the Tykes first-innings total of 534-9, before things started to go wrong with the hosts still 94 runs short of the follow-on.
Andre Adams and Ben Phillips did the damage – adding a Nottinghamshire record against the White Rose of 114 runs for the ninth wicket to haul their side back into the contest.
Adams was eventually ousted for 54, to give Ajmal Shahzad the second of three wickets, but Phillips was then joined by fellow tail-ender Paul Fletcher to continue the comeback.
Fletcher was out for a quick-fire 20, with Phillips ending unbeaten on 71 to help Nottinghamshire close within 106 runs of Yorkshire’s total.
Adam Lyth, unbeaten on 13, and Joe Root, unbeaten on four, batted the White Rose safely to the close, but it will now take a huge effort from either side to stop the game ending in a tame draw.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire have confirmed Tim Bresnan will make his first appearance for the county since his Ashes heroics at Kent tomorrow. The fast bowler has been included in the Tykes squad for their Clydesdale Bank 40 contest at Canterbury.
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