Five-wicket seamer Ben Coad is confident Yorkshire can secure a victory over Worcestershire during tomorrow’s final day at New Road.
Yorkshire are bidding to complete a second LV= Insurance County Championship win of the season, at the eighth attempt, and they have the upper hand after three days, with Worcester 22-0 in their second innings and still 143 behind.
Day three was a strange old day, with Yorkshire having much the better of things in its first half as Coad claimed four of his five wickets.
The hosts, responding to a first-innings 407, slipped to 179-9 with 47 overs remaining in the day. But 10th-wicket pair Ben Gibbon and Adam Finch shared 63 in 35.3 overs to frustrate Coad and co.
They opened up the possibility of avoiding the follow-on by reaching 258. And even though they didn’t achieve that – bowled out for 242 – Gibbon and Finch were sent out to face the new ball again in the second innings and survived nine overs before close.
“It’s been tough, but we did really well before their last two came in and batted well,” said Coad. “All in all, we’ve bowled really well and are in a great position to try and win this game.
“To make them follow-on with these Kookaburra balls is a great effort.
“The attitude in the field was amazing, and we played well with the bat as well. Now we have a chance to go and win the game. There’s a little there in the pitch. If you put it in the right areas for long enough, you’ll get the rewards.”
In trying to explain Worcestershire’s late resistance, Coad said: “If it missed the stumps, they managed to miss it. If it was hitting the stumps, they managed to hit it.
“Fair play to them, they did really well and shaped up nicely. They seemed to be playing and missing a lot instead of getting the nicks, and they’ve done well.
“I assume it was (night-watchman tactics for them to bat again). They were going so well that they may as well keep them going, which they did.”
On the chances of victory, Coad continued: “There are some tired bodies, but we can rest up now and come again in the morning. They’ve used their two heavy rollers, so there should be a bit more in it in the morning. There’s definitely a chance to win this.”
And on his 11th career first-class five-for, his second of the season, the 29-year-old from Ripon added: “I’m always happy to get a five-for and help the team out. A few runs as well yesterday, it’s been a good game for me so far.”
