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Yorkshire’s on-loan all-rounder Dom Bess was left stranded in the nineties, nine short of a second first-class hundred, during a rain shortened second day against Essex at Emerald Headingley.
The White Rose will be the happier of the two sides at the halfway mark of this Specsavers County Championship match.
After being bowled out for 390 on the stroke of lunch, Ben Coad then had Sir Alastair Cook caught at first slip by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, for two, pushing forwards as Essex replied with 18 for one from 6.5 overs.
Only 36.3 overs were possible, with no play beyond 2.15pm. Play was abandoned for the day almost two-and-a-half-hours laters.
Yorkshire advanced from 289 for six overnight to an imposing first-innings total, despite losing their last four wickets for 48, including two to new ball seamer Jamie Porter.
Bess and Jonny Tattersall (45) completed a seventh-wicket partnership of 90 during the first hour of play, helping to secure a third batting bonus point for passing 300 inside 110 overs. Essex claimed two bowling points.
Just as they did during the evening session of day one, Essex then hit back strongly and impressively as Yorkshire fell from 342 for six, leaving Bess short of what would have been his second career century – and his second against them.
The 21-year-old Somerset star’s first century came for the MCC against Ryan ten Doeschate’s men in the 2018 champion county fixture in Barbados in March of that year.
Bess did, however, pass 1,000 first-class career runs during his 132-ball innings which included 15 fours.
Tattersall was first to go when he was caught behind trying to guide Ravi Bopara in between point and gully, leaving the score at 342 for seven in the 113th over.
Porter then had Steve Patterson lbw in the 121st over and Coad caught at first slip by Alastair Cook in the 125th, leaving the hosts at 387 for nine and Bess with only Duanne Olivier for company.
But the South African only lasted four balls as he edged Sam Cook to Simon Harmer at second slip, signalling lunch.
New ball duo Cook and Porter both finished with three wickets apiece.
Essex’s innings started under floodlights, and there was soon a setback when Sir Alastair pushed forwards and edged a catch to safe hands of Kohler-Cadmore, leaving the score at three for one in the third over.
Kohler-Cadmore has now taken 25 catches in all cricket for Yorkshire this season, the majority of which have come at first slip.