County Championship: Yorkshire decline to make Worcestershire follow on

Yorkshire claimed eight Worcestershire wickets during a rampant second-afternoon performance as their seamers helped gain a stranglehold on this County Championship match at Headingley.

Jordan Thompson was Yorkshire’s standout player, making a swashbuckling 70 at the start of day two before returning 3-27 with his seamers.

In reply to Yorkshire’s 456 all out, Worcestershire had reached 90 without loss shortly after lunch, but lost eight wickets for 46 in 25 overs to slump to 136-8 at tea and were later bowled out for 162, conceding a lead of 294.

The hosts, however, opted against enforcing the follow-on, and increased their lead in the day’s remaining 19 overs, clsoing on 61-1 – 355 ahead.

The day started with Yorkshire advancing their first innings from an overnight 425-8 as Ben Coad made a useful 31 in a ninth-wicket stand of 75 with Thompson.

He ensured an entertaining start to the day, moving from 48 not out to help Yorkshire secure their fifth batting bonus point for passing 450.

Yorkshire lost Coad caught behind off Allison, leaving the score at 435-9 but Thompson took two sixes in an over off another Worcestershire seamer Tom Taylor – one pulled, the other reverse scooped over the wicketkeeper’s head.

The second took his side beyond 450 and he also reached his 50 off 48 balls.

Yorkshire’s innings, however, was wrapped up when sub-fielder Rob Jones took a superb juggling catch on the deep square-leg boundary to help Allison remove Thompson.

Worcestershire captain Brett D’Oliveira suffered a dislocated thumb whilst trying to take a diving catch in the outfield before lunch, and he later batted at eight rather than his usual number six before losing his off stump to Jack White.

The Pears had started their reply strongly through openers Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick, who made 53 and 37 respectively on a pitch which has offered something for everyone.

But during the action-packed afternoon, the home attack were right at it and hardly gave their visitors a moment’s breathing space.

Coad added a superb 4-39 from 15.3 overs, new-ball partner White claimed two wickets and George Hill one, with Yorkshire’s catching behind the wicket particularly impressive.

The breakthrough came when White had Roderick caught at second slip by Adam Lyth, who also helped Coad remove Libby at 101-3 in the 37th over, with Thompson forcing Kashif Ali to play on to his leg-stump in between.

Hill held a juggling catch at first slip as Coad removed ex-Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Waite for one and Thompson had Ethan Brookes caught at mid-on for 19 after tea before Coad wrapped things up when Jacob Duffy edged behind.

The only wicket to fall in Yorkshire’s second innings went the way of Allison as Fin Bean played on for 14.