Shan Masood passed 50 for the second time in the match to help advance Yorkshire’s cause with an excellent unbeaten 82 on a weather-affected day three as they pursue a crucial Vitality County Championship victory over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
Yorkshire’s position of strength in this Division Two fixture had been eroded after tea on day two as Northamptonshire recovered their first innings from 181-7 to 301 all out in reply to 362.
The visitors had a chance of enforcing the follow-on but had to settle for a lead of 61 – still healthy but not as good as it could have been.
After play last night, Masood spoke of wanting his side to be more clinical. Today, having talked the talk, the Pakistani overseas left-hander walked the walk to give themselves a realistic chance of win number one in 2024.
Yorkshire started the day on 0-1, lead of 61, and they ended it on 156-5 with a lead of 217. A good hour and bit of batting tomorrow morning and the visitors will bowl for victory. Play was abandoned shortly before 5pm.
Picture by John Heald. Shan Masood celebrates his fifty today.
Masood was the chief protagonist in advancing Yorkshire’s cause during a day which saw only 38.2 overs bowled and no play beyond 3.20pm.
He walked to the crease at 8-2 in the third over, the second full one of a day which started 15 minutes late because of rain. Fin Bean departed early, caught behind off Ben Sanderson.
Other team-mates came and went; Adam Lyth for 33 having shared 60 with his skipper for the third wicket and later James Wharton for 20 having put on 67 for the fourth.
Masood, however, batted positively and did so whilst having to deal with a left wrist injury suffered during the afternoon, whilst on 57, in strange circumstances.
The left-hander played and missed at a delivery from Sanderson and immediately threw his bat to the ground in frustration and called for some physio attention to his right wrist.
Picture by John Heald. Shan Masood receives treatment from Yorkshire’s head of science and medicine, Ed Owen.
He looked in significant pain after an injury which looked like a sprain or hyper-extension issue.
But he was able to continue and went on to hit three sixes and eight fours in his 108 balls at the crease.
He pulled Rob Keogh’s off-spin over mid-wicket for six and did the same to Indian seamer Siddharth Kaul. Sandwiched in between, he lofted Keogh over long-off.
Northamptonshire will also believe they can still win this if they have a good morning with the ball tomorrow.
They chipped away at the wickets today.
Picture by John Heald. James Wharton hits Rob Keogh for six.
After Bean departed this morning, his opening partner Lyth was trapped stuck on the crease, leaving Yorkshire at 68-3 in the 20th over.
That came after lunch, which was taken half an hour early because rain – the day’s second delay. The third, later on, was the one which ended the day.
Wharton was Yorkshire’s fourth wicket to fall when he was lbw trying to play Justin Broad’s seam to leg following a bright 20 including a straight six off Keogh.
His departure was the first of two in eight balls, with George Hill edging Kaul behind for four, leaving Yorkshire at 146-5 in the 37th over – a lead of 207.
Unfortunately, there was only time for Yorkshire to add 10 more runs to their tally on a pitch which continues to offer some help for the seamers. Fingers crossed, the weather doesn’t intervene tomorrow to impact on what could be a thrilling and, hopefully, successful finish from the visiting point of view.
Picture by John Heald. The rainy scene at Wantage Road today.
