LIVE: Yorkshire v Middlesex (day three) - County Championship title showdown

Yorkshire have surpassed the crucial 350 mark in the morning session of the crucial County Championship showdown against Middlesex.
Tim Bresnan leads Yorkshire's fight to get up to 350Tim Bresnan leads Yorkshire's fight to get up to 350
Tim Bresnan leads Yorkshire's fight to get up to 350

Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom held off a tense period after lunch - which included a rain break - to take Yorkshire past the magical mark, which put them ahead of Somerset's points haul in the 'As It Stands' table. See all the updates from the day below.

SCORECARDS AND AS IT STANDSMiddlesex v Yorkshire: Middlesex 270/10 (Gubbins 125, Brooks 6-65); Yorkshire 353/9 Somerset v Nottinghamshire: Somerset 365 (C Rogers 132, J Hildreth 135); 313/5d, Notts 138; 93/3Day two report: Bresnan leads defiant Yorkshire in pursuit of testing Lord’s targetDay one report: Middlesex v Yorkshire: Ex-Leeds student Nick Gubbins poses questions for champions

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

AS IT STANDSMiddlesex - 217ptsYorkshire - 211ptsSomerset - 210pts

MATCH UPDATES

15.24: Yorkshire 371-9. After the nerves of the bonus point, Yorkshire have a bit more freedom and Tim Bresnan smashes Raynor into the stands for six to move to 134.

15.16: @NWestbyYPSport tweets: "Three favourites in betting for #BBCSpoty Alistair Brownlee Tim Bresnan Ryan Sidebottom"

15.13 BONUS POINT! Get in, Yorkshire have scrambled over the 350 mark and are ahead of Somerset again. Ryan Sidebottom flicks Roland-Jones for four on the leg-side. If Yorkshire win this match, they win the Championship.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

15.10 OOS and AHHS in the first over as Tim Bresnan plays out a maiden in the first over after the rain break. Yorkshire, still, 349-9

14.56 News from Lord's. Play will resume at 15.10.

14.14 In fairness to the umpires. They've made the right decision to get the players off the pitch. The covers are now on at Lord's as rain falls. How important is that first over back going to me.

14.03 BAD LIGHT! Well, can you believe it. The umpires haul the players off for bad light and now it's raining at Lord's. Yorkshire stranded on 349/9.

14.00 APPEAL - NOT OUT! Sidebottom is hit on the pads, with Yorkshire still needing one run. It's close, and looks out. So close. But the umpires says not out. Phew.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

13.59 Yorkshrie 349-9: Bresnan clips one away into the leg side and Yorkshire need one run.

13.48 As if it wasn't tense enough for Yorkshire, there's a big grey cloud looming behind Lord's. Toby Roland-Jones, who has four wickets so far, is back into the attack.

13.45 Yorkshire 346-9 Bresnan flicks to the leg-side. One boundary needed. One boundary!!

13.43 Yorkshire 345-9 Two more added to the score. Five runs. Five runs...

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

13.34 Yorkshire 343-9 - 100 overs: Three runs off Steven Finn's over. Tim Bresnan retains the strike. Yorkshire need seven runs, from ten overs with a wicket in hand.

13.31 Yorkshire 340-9: Sidebottom sees off Tim Murtagh as Bresnan takes a single.

13.22 FOUR! Tim Bresnan bashes a four to take Yorkshire to 339/9 and 11 runs away. Ryan Sidebottom set to face Steven Finn...

13.12 WICKET! Yorkshire 334-9 Brooks ct Gubbins b Murtagh 0Brooks lasts just four balls and chips Murtagh to mid-on. Tense. So very tense. Yorkshire NEED 16 more. Ryan Sidebottom in at 11.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

13.08 Back underway at Lord's for the second session. Jack Brooks is in at number ten. He's got a first class average of 16.84. Yorkshire need 17 to get to 350... Play to your average.

12.28 WICKET and LUNCH! Yorkshire 333-8 Patterson ct Raynor b Finn 11Just after slapping a four through the off-side, Patterson departs for 11 as he edges one to second slip. It brings an end to a good session for the White Rose, but they still need 17 runs to get to 350.

12.08 WICKET! Yorkshire 318-7 Rafiq b Murtagh 65. The end of an excellent knock by off-spinner Azeem Rafiq. It came on the first ball after the umpires swapped the ball. Tim Murtagh bowled a clever off-cutter that went through Rafiq's attempted forward defensive. The off stump is on the ground. Yorkshire still need 32 to get to the magical 350 and now only have three wickets in hand.

11.53 SIX! That's what we like to see. Tim Murtagh bangs one in short, Rafiq hooks over fine leg and into the empty stand. Yorkshire 310-6.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

11.48 It's fair to say that Yorkshire will need to win at Lord's to win the title. Somerset are romping ahead against Notts, 250/3 in their second innings. That's a lead of 478 with a day and a half to play.

11.45 OUCH! Azeem Rafiq is smacked on the head attempting to duck a bouncer from Roland-Jones. He's getting some attantion and sharing a smile with Bresnan. Tough cookie. Yorkshire 303-6

11.40 CENTURY! What. An. Innings. Tim Bresnan has been a stalwart at the crease all season for Yorkshire and he's done it in the biggest game of the season. A clip through the leg side brings him three figures, and a third batting bonus point for Yorkshire. Level on points with Somerset, now. However, another is needed as Somerset have had fewer defeats.

11.34 HALF CENTURY! Azeem Rafiq guides the ball through the slip cordon for four.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

11.14 YORKSHIRE LEAD! It's almost playing second fiddle this morning - the actual game situation - as Yorkshire attempt to reach 350. But they've now passed Middlesex's total of 270 and Bresnan and Rafiq continue to score freely. Bresnan up to 93 not out. Rafiq on 46. Yorkshire 284-6

11.02 DROPPED! Yorkshire are riding their luck here. Rafiq slashes hard outside off stump against James Franklin and he's given a second lifeline of the morning as Ollie Raynor puts it down at second slip. Yorkshire 267-6

10.49 DROPPED! Steven Finn is going hammer and tong at the short stuff to Azeem Rafiq and it forces the off-spinner to try and upper cut. A third man is in place to take a simple catch, but no, the ball hits the floor. Nick Compton's shelled it. A lifeline. A much-needed lifeline.

10.45 Batting point! Runs flowing for Yorkshire in the first few overs and with three consecutive boundaries, Yorkshire have a second batting point to their name. Back to within one point of Somerset on the As it Stands table. Yorkshire 253-6

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

10.28: PLAY STARTS! Play is underway for the day at the 'Home of Cricket'. It's Steven Finn in charge of the ball and Azeem Rafiq on strike. The England bowler digs one in short and it hits Rafiq on the gloves and flies over the keeper for four runs. Yorkshire 239-6

10.15: We're all set for another enthralling day at Lord's. Tim Bresnan and Azeem Rafiq have a big job on their hands to guide Yorkshire up to the magical number of 350. That would keep them ahead of Somerset on bonus points - if they're level, the title heads to the south west - and then it would come down to securing victory on the final day tomorrow. Stay tuned to all the Yorkshire Post's updates on this rolling blog.

CONTACT US ON SOCIAL MEDIALet us know your thoughts about today's matches on social media.Like us on Facebook: Yorkshire Post SportFollow us on Twitter: @YPSport

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTSLeave a comment at the bottom of this story what you're thinking about your side.

Related topics: