Ben Coad says confidence remains high in the Yorkshire camp that they can seal what would be an impressive, deserved and hard-working Championship win over Glamorgan at Cardiff tomorrow.
Yorkshire have led from the front from the start of this Division Two affair played out on a slow and placid Sophia Gardens surface.
After posting 500 all out in their first innings, Yorkshire have chipped away at the wickets over the last day-and-a-half.
Glamorgan were bowled out for 273 in their first innings and made to follow-on 227 behind. They closed today’s third day on 120-2 in their second innings.
New ball seamer Coad has taken four wickets in the match so far; three in the first innings.
Matthew Revis also completed his maiden five-wicket haul in first-team cricket today – 5-50 in the first innings.
Coad struck twice in two balls late in Glamorgan’s first innings, immediately after lunch, before ousting opener Zain ul Hassan for a three-ball duck at the start of the second.
“The pitch isn’t offering too much. It’s very low and slow,” said. Coad.
“The effort we’ve put in over the last couple of days has been great, and we have got a fair amount of reward. There’s still a long way to go, but the position we’re in is a brilliant effort so far.
“To bowl them out for 270 on that was great and has put us in with a chance of winning the game.”
Coad’s action plan with the ball tomorrow is: “Just be relentless and put it in the right area.
“I think, realistically, we will have to bat again,” he continued. “If we can find a way of getting those eight wickets, I’d back us to chase anything on there.”
Glamorgan gave themselves a chance of saving this game with some determined batting, including 10th-wicket pair Andy Gorvin and Jamie McIlroy sharing 56 at the end of their first innings.
Coad and Jordan Thompson had just taken the new ball, but the partnership came after they were quickly taken out of the attack.
“I think Shan was thinking about the follow-on,” reasoned Coad. “Had we bowled five or six each, we’d have struggled to come back after a 10-minute turnaround.
“We didn’t expect them to hang around that much, but it was great to see Rev get his five-for.”
Revis’s Plan A in this game has been to hit the pitch hard and try and get the most out of any uneven bounce on offer.
“How far his bowling has come on over the last couple of years is amazing, and he’s got some serious pace now,” said Coad. “On a pitch like that where some go through and some don’t, it’s really tough to play. He’s done a great job.
“When that ball gets older, after the new ball, there’s not a lot in it. That’s why we’ve had to turn to that kind of bowling.
“The light stopped us doing it there at the end, but I’m sure tomorrow we’ll go back to that plan. I think they’ll find it tough again.”
Yorkshire’s other seam bowling Ben, Cliff, is on debut this week and has so far bowled 13 wicketless overs for 67 across the two innings. Coad is confident that his perseverance will pay off.
“He hasn’t got a reward yet,” he added. “But the effort he’s putting in and the rhythm he’s got, it shows he’s been in good form and has been playing well.
“It will come for him if he keeps doing the right things.”
