Yorkshire bowling coach Rich Pyrah said:
“It’s been frustrating for the last three games if we’re being honest. We won the first two games away with the next three at home, where we play well. But we’ve not played more than two days in either of the last two games added to the rain this week.
“We’ve had a good start in this game and wanted to drive it home. We’ve still got time, fingers crossed, so we’ll see what happens.
“With the way the league tables are, we’ll have to bat well tomorrow to give ourselves a chance. If we do bat well, we’ll still be in a really good position to win the game on day four.
“There’s a little bit in the pitch, and it’s been under cover all day today, so we’ll have to work hard tomorrow morning to set it up.
“We can’t have done much more this year. We’ve played some excellent cricket, and we’ll keep telling the lads, ‘Don’t get frustrated, don’t chase the game, keep trusting what you’re doing’.”
On Gloucestershire bound Jared Warner, he said:
“I don’t want to lose any of my bowlers. I’ve worked with Jared for four or five years now and got really close to him. I always believed he would turn into a Yorkshire first-team cricketer.
“It hasn’t happened as quickly as he wanted, but I still believed he would have got there.
“At his age, he needs to be playing first-team cricket, so you can understand his decision to go to Gloucestershire rather than being the sixth seamer at Yorkshire.
“It’s disappointing, but I wish him well and am sure he’ll turn into a good first-class bowler.”
4.24pm – Close That is that folks. Umpires Hartley and Middlebrook have deemed the outfield unplayable after the earlier rain. We will try again in the morning, when Yorkshire will resume on 36-2 in reply to 124.
Tea report It is a case of deja vu at Emerald Headingley, with rain meaning no play possible so far on day two between Yorkshire and Leicestershire.
The final round Bob Willis Trophy match has reached tea on the second day, with only 60.3 overs bowled – Yorkshire are 36-2 in reply to 124.
By the end of the day, the combined number of overs lost across Yorkshire’s three North Group home games is likely to have exceeded 400.
The rain has stopped to allow the ground-staff to start mopping up, with umpires Peter Hartley and James Middlebrook due to inspect at 4pm.
2.58pm Tea will be taken at 3.20pm and an inspection at 4pm. We may still get a bit of play.
2.17pm Here’s a look around the grounds….
NORTH GROUP
RAIN – Lancashire 219 v Derbyshire 17-4, Liverpool
RAIN – Nottinghamshire 94-2 v Durham 294, Trent Bridge
CENTRAL GROUP
RAIN – Glamorgan 91-5 v Warwickshire 186, Sophia Gardens
RAIN – Worcestershire 121-1 v Somerset 251, New Road
ABANDONED (Covid-19 related) Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire, Bristol
SOUTH GROUP
Essex 236 v Middlesex 138 and 21-0, Chelmsford
Kent 153-9 v Hampshire 191, Canterbury
Surrey v Sussex 415, Oval
Here at Emerald Headingley, the rain has pretty much stopped. Fingers crossed for some play later on.
1.28pm That 1.15pm inspection has been canned due to more rain here at Emerald Headingley. The covers are being brought back out.
12:50pm A further inspection will take place at 1:15pm, with a view to hopefully starting at 2pm should the conditions be suitable.
12.11pm Lancashire, having posted 219, have reduced North Group leaders Derbyshire to 17-4 at Liverpool. Danny Lamb is doing us a favour with three of those wickets.
12.07pm Good luck to Jared Warner, who will join Gloucestershire on a three-year deal this winter.
Lunch report Rain continues to frustrate Yorkshire’s Bob Willis Trophy final hopes.
The start to day two of their final round North Group fixture with Leicestershire at Emerald Headingley has been delayed, with lunch taken early at 12.15pm and a planned inspection half an hour later.
Heavy morning rain disappeared just before the scheduled start time of 10.30am, so the hopes of play this afternoon are high.
When play does begin, Yorkshire will be 36-2 in reply to the Foxes’ first-innings 124.
Yorkshire’s last two home games, against Derbyshire and Lancashire, were both heavily weather-affected, forcing draws.
It means they have to win this game with as many points as possible in order topple North Group leaders Derbyshire and give themselves a chance to reach the Lord’s final later this month.
Derbyshire, playing Lancashire at Liverpool, began this round with a five-point lead.
11.02am There will be an early lunch taken at 12.15pm here at Headingley and an inspection from umpires Hartley and Middlebrook at 12.45pm.
I think they call it the law of sod, but they are playing everywhere elsewhere but here.
10.30am We do have a delayed start, but the rain has stopped and the ground-staff are mopping up. Hopefully we get to see some play before lunch.
Good morning from Emerald Headingley, where I’m afraid to say it’s chucking it down.
We look set for a delayed start to the second day of our must win clash with Leicestershire.
Rain is blighting the county circuit at present, with 28.5 overs lost at the end of day one here, for example.
When play does resume, Yorkshire will be 36-2 in their first-innings reply to Leicestershire’s 124, with Ben Coad’s 5-18 the standout performance of an engaging opening day.
The likelihood is that we will see some play today, but it may not be until this afternoon.
When play does begin, you will be able to watch it on the live stream on our match centre page.
Enjoy the day.
