Yorkshire Cricket Board

Testing day sets up fascinating finale

Yorkshire Cricket Board U17s match against Cheshire looks to be evenly poised after the hosts fought back in the final session of day two to take a slender lead into the final day at Oxton CC.

The morning rain which had been threatened never materialized so once again play began under cloudless skies. Arran McCabe and George Newton began with five maidens in the first nine overs and Bilal Anjam was only able to add three to his overnight score before being caught at slip off the latter for 75 with the total on 162. Skipper Ben Birkhead started the day on 27 and went on to complete a half-century before being trapped lbw off the following delivery as the visitors lost two wickets in the space of three overs leaving two new batsmen at the crease. Nathan Snookes and Alec Drury both made starts reaching 18 and 17 respectively but neither managed to build on them and by lunch some of the previous days good work had been undone as the scoreboard showed 223-7. Sam Fox (28) and Kyme Tahirkelli (12) shared an eighth wicket stand of 35 which gave Yorkshire their third batting point, but once they were separated the last two wickets fell quickly to leave the final total a somewhat disappointing 273 all out, given their position at the start of the day.

Facing a deficit of 107 Cheshire got off to a disastrous start as Sam Fox dismissed their skipper George Newton, lbw for a duck off only the fourth ball of the innings, and Nathan Snookes took the catch at second slip to dismiss fellow opener Kieron Lawton also without scoring with the total on 20. Henry Dobson and Ed Galley steadied things adding 18 runs in ten overs on the lead up to tea. Despite a concerted effort from the visitors’ bowlers, which produced a number of near misses but nothing resembling a clear cut chance, they were unable to force a further breakthrough the duo batting through the final session to remain unbeaten at the close having put on 136, Dobson finishing with 77 and Galley 68 to give their side a lead of 45 runs by the close.

Report by Kevin Hutchinson