Yorkshire were left with just too much to do in their defence of a 185-target on day three against Warwickshire at Headingley, with the visitors sealing victory by five wickets midway through the afternoon.
The White Rose chipped away at the wickets – the Bears were 109-4 at lunch, needing 76 more – but in the end were consigned to a second defeat in four Rothesay County Championship matches this season.
Warwickshire, meanwhile, won their second game in four, securing 20 points to Yorkshire’s two.
Added to Yorkshire’s frustration was the fact they were deducted one point for a slow over-rate.
Openers Rob Yates and Alex Davies were significant contributors with 41 and 31, but both fell before lunch. During the afternoon, first-class debutant Zen Malik allayed any visiting fears and finished 49 not out, winning the match with a pulled six off George Hill.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Warwickshire’s Beau Webster and Zen Malik celebrate victory over Yorkshire this afternoon.
Whilst always competitive in this fixture and with opportunities to win it, Yorkshire weren’t at their best with either bat or ball in a fixture played out in bowler-friendly conditions.
They lost a crucial toss and were always fighting from behind having been bowled out for 205 on day one.
They have now lost two from four Division One matches and travel to Chelmsford on Friday to face coach Anthony McGrath’s former side Essex.
England batter Joe Root hit an excellent second-innings 90, the county’s only half-century of the match, while New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears impressed with six wickets in the match, including 4-45 in the first innings.
For Warwickshire, their standout performers were new-ball seamer Ethan Bamber, who returned match figures of 9-107, and Australian all-round debutant Beau Webster, who made an excellent first-innings 85 as the Bears took a lead of 48.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Warwickshire captain Alex Davies is bowled by Ben Coad this morning.
Captain Davies took on the lead role in the chase this morning, which had started with the score on 15-0.
The England Lion hit seven boundaries in all, and three of them came off one George Hill over. Two were clipped through the leg-side and the other driven through the covers.
However, he was bowled through the gate by a beauty of an in-swinger from Ben Coad, losing his off and middle stumps in the process as the score fell to 45 for one in the the day’s 10th over, the 13th of the innings.
Jordan Buckingham then had Hamza Shaikh caught behind at 60-2, immediately before a 10-minute rain delay, and Yates and Dan Mousley fell to New Zealand quick Ben Sears and Jordan Thompson respectively to boost Yorkshire before lunch.
Left-handed Yates was circumspect and by no means as lively as Davies had been.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Joe Root and his captain Jonny Bairstow discuss tactics in the field today.
When he pulled Buckingham for four through midwicket and clipped Thompson through the area shortly afterwards, Warwickshire were 85-2, needing 100 more to win.
But Yates was undone by extra bounce from Sears and edged a looping catch to Root at first slip before, at the start of the morning’s final over, Thompson uprooted Mousley’s off-stump – 109-4 in the 30th over.
If Yorkshire had kicked the door ajar at the end of the morning, unfortunately Malik was to slam it shut after lunch.
Malik, aged 27, was playing only his third first-team match, and he shared in a fifth-wicket partnership of 59 with Ed Barnard, who contributed 37 to round off an excellent personal performance which saw him claim three wickets in each innings and score 41 in the first innings.
Right-hander Malik was strong on both sides of the wicket, and when he beautifully drove Thompson for four straight of mid-on to move into the thirties, Warwickshire were 136-4 needing 49 more. Barnard nonchalantly ramped Sears for six over third but edged the same bowler behind with 17 needed. Unfortunately, that was too little, too late for the hosts.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Ben Sears was impressive on home debut with six wickets in the match.
