Andrew Gale hailed Yorkshire’s character after bouncing back from 50 all out to consign Essex to a rare Championship defeat at Chelmsford.
The champions lost for the first time in 19 matches dating back to September 2016 as, chasing 238, they were bowled out for 146 to lose by 91.
The 50 all out was Yorkshire’s lowest winning first-innings total since being bowled out for 42 by Sussex at Hove in 1922.
Not only that, it was only the sixth time in Championship history a team has been bowled out for 50 in their first innings and won.
Harry Brook’s 124 was the standout innings of the match, while Jonny Bairstow opened in the second innings and hit the contest’s only other 50.
Steve Patterson finished the second innings with career best figures of 6-40 from 18 overs.
Essex started day three on 97-4 and were bowled out in exactly 90 minutes of play, with Ben Coad battling through an ankle injury to take three wickets.
After securing their second win in four this season, coach Gale said: “Lunch on the first day as a coach, there’s not much you can say.
“50 all out and six out of the top eight are international players.
“To get rolled out like that and go on to win the game is unbelievable really.
“The batting display in the first innings was terrible. It was unacceptable. We spoke about that.
“But we have worked hard on our team spirit and belief this winter, our togetherness and never say die attitude. That shone through the game.
“Even though we were up against it at 50 all out, we came out in that little four-over period before lunch on day one and picked up a couple of wickets. We had a little chat at lunch and said ‘Come on, let’s give it everything we can’.
“The way Jonny came out and set the tone about how we were going to go about our (second) innings, it changed the momentum of the game.”
Watch our interview with Andrew Gale.
????
GaleyLad</a> ???? “To get rolled out for 50 and to go on and win the game is unbelievable really.”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YourYorkshire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YourYorkshire</a> <a href="https://t.co/py9Qsuy2GE">pic.twitter.com/py9Qsuy2GE</a></p>— Yorkshire CCC (YorkshireCCC) May 6, 2018
On the decision to promote Bairstow in the second innings, Gale revealed: “It’s something Rooty and myself spoke about. We then put it to Gaz and said to Bluey ‘Do you fancy going in first? We don’t want you to go in and slog, just go in and be yourself and be positive. You have a license’.
“You know what Jonny’s like. When you set him a challenge, he sticks his chest out and does the business. That’s why he’s such a big player.
“It sort of was (the turning point) because we saw what happened at Taunton last week when we tried to dig in. We got rolled. It was important we threw some punches back ourselves.
“The way Brooky also played Harmer, who they rely heavily on as well, it was a plan of ours to be aggressive against him.”
Gale added: “Harry was unbelievable. I wanted him to get a few more and was disappointed in the way he got out at that stage of the game.
“But I thought he was the only one who looked at home on that pitch. The way he played spin was fantastic.
“He’s got a big future. We’ve said that from this outset. He’s had a real good winter and carried that form on. He looks at home in the first-class game. Nothing really fazes him, and you always felt a big score was around the corner.”
Watch highlights from Day 3
Watch our interview with Steven Patterson.
???? From the worst session of cricket he’s ever been involved in, to a remarkable victory. Steven Patterson reacts to today’s win at Chelmsford.#YourYorkshire pic.twitter.com/muqKiX4×9H
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) May 6, 2018
