Picture by John Heald. George Hill completed a superb first-innings return of 6-51 this afternoon.
George Hill returned a superb 6-51, including four wickets today, as Yorkshire expertly took hold of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Essex at its midway point at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford.
Essex, replying to Yorkshire’s first-innings 216, were bowled out for 123 having started the day on 27-3.
Chiefly Hill, Ben Coad, Jack White and left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty just did not give Essex an inch on a slow pitch which has proved difficult to score quickly on, as was proved when the White Rose batted for a second time.
Adam Lyth posted his second fifty in the match, underpinning the visitors’ 114-1 from 49 overs. Lyth ended the day unbeaten on 79 as the lead extended to 207.
In this fixture, both late on day one and throughout the first half of day two, Yorkshire have bowled as well as they have at any stage this season, even though they previously bowled sides out cheaply. Worcestershire twice at Headingley last month, for example.
This was a masterclass in disciplined bowling, with only seven extras, including two no balls conceded.
Picture by John Heald. Ben Coad celebrates a morning wicket at Chelmsford.
Not only did the bowlers do their job, captain Jonny Bairstow claimed five catches behind, including a reactionary effort off Michael Pepper’s outside edge to help Moriarty strike just after lunch as Essex fell to 105-7 after 50 overs.
The day had started with Hill and Coad in tandem, each bowling nine-over spells. Coad’s only went for 10 runs, included five maidens and yielded two wickets.
Fin Bean at third slip helped Hill and Coad claim the first two wickets of the day, the former getting Robin Das and the latter Matt Critchley as Essex slipped to 50-5 in the 29th over of their innings, the day’s 13th.
Shortly afterwards, Coad removed home captain Tom Westley caught behind – 59-6 – before Pepper and Noah Thain shared 46 for the seventh wicket.
Boundaries were at a premium, and thankfully Essex slipped further into trouble after lunch, where they had reached at 94-6.
Pepper fell to Moriarty, who created plenty of chances in his first game of the season, with turn obvious.
Picture by John Heald. Jonny Bairstow took five catches behind the stumps. Here, he helps Dan Moriarty remove Michael Pepper.
Thain, on 24, and Shane Snater then both fell caught behind off Hill as the hosts slipped to 123-9 before Sri Lankan overseas seamer Kasun Rajitha was lbw to the same bowler.
Hill has been exceptional with the ball this season, claiming 19 wickets at 15.73 apiece. He is amongst the top five wicket-takers in this season’s first division.
Hill’s average is the best of any bowler in the top flight who has taken 10 or more wickets in 2025.
This was the 24-year-old’s third career first-class six-wicket haul and the second best of those figures wise.
Either side of tea, Yorkshire steadily built on their 93-run lead.
Lyth led the way, and it will be no surprise to learn that he drove nicely against seam and spin. But he was also strong off the back foot through the off-side too.
Picture by John Heald. Yorkshire’s players celebrate a George Hill wicket on day two at Chelmsford.
By the time the visitors reached 53-0 in the 26th over during the first half of the evening, Lyth had 43 of them.
The threat of Essex’s key bowling duo, Porter and Simon Harmer, was negated.
Lyth went on to reach his second fifty of the match off 106 balls, by which stage Yorkshire’s lead was up beyond 150 and with the screw firmly turned on this contest.
Lyth and Bean shared 72 inside 34 overs for the first wicket before Bean was caught at mid-on off a leading edge having aborted a pull shot against Thain’s seam.
Bean and Lyth shared 71 in the first innings here, with the former contributing 31. Having posted 19 second time around, the young left-hander will have wanted more runs in this match, clearly, but he has still done an important job for the county.
James Wharton then came in and lofted Critchley’s leg-spin for six over long-on in the closing stages of the day. It landed on the roof of the radio commentary box and bounced into the River Can at the Sir Alastair Cook End of this ground. He will begin day three unbeaten on 16.
Picture by John Heald. Adam Lyth has posted two fifties in the match and will aim to turn his second into a hundred tomorrow.
