Adam Lyth

By Gary Watton
June 3 2014

Cricket is truly weird. Yorkshire were knocked over on Saturday for 136 and then proceeded to a mammoth total in the second innings after a record-breaking first wicket stand of 375 between the ALs, Adam Lyth and his young sidekick, Alex Lees. At the halfway stage, Northamptonshire could have been forgiven for thinking in terms of a rare win as they enjoyed a 115-run lead, but cricket is weird!

For the record, Lyth's eye-catching heroics lasted for 480 minutes, while the less swashbuckling vigil of Lees endured for a mere 440 minutes. Their double-act was the highest-ever stand against Northamptonshire by a Yorkshire pair. Take a bow, gentlemen. Their efforts were much-needed to awaken the match favourites from their slumber after they had hopelessly toiled on the Saturday, perhaps arising out of a hangover from their Friday night Twenty20 triumph. Poor old Northamptonshire have already beaten the Vikings in the Twenty20 tournament in recent weeks, but they will be glad to see the back of a rampant Yorkshire team that has twice tormented them in the County Championship this year.

Northamptonshire versus YORKSHIRE; at Northampton; June 1st-4th 2014; Northamptonshire won the toss.

YORKSHIRE first innings: 136 (Butler 4-41, Azharullah 3-41)

Northamptonshire first innings: 251 (Middlebrook 70, Duckett 51; Brooks 4-78)

YORKSHIRE second innings: 546 for three declared (Lyth 230, Lees 138, Finch 63, Leaning 52*)

Northamptonshire second innings: 160 (Plunkett 4-42, Bresnan 3-46)

YORKSHIRE won by 271 runs. Northamptonshire 5 points, YORKSHIRE 19 points.

Yorkshire's player review can be located underneath.

Lyth - Adam was caught cold with a duck in the first innings but spectacularly made amends the second time when he posted a monster total alongside Alex Lees.

Lees - The prodigy brought his Twenty20 form into this contest. His ton was more subdued than that of his partner but his contribution to victory was also enormous.

Finch - The Australiann acquitted himself well, with 97 runs in his County Championship debut. Aaron will be relieved to have already posted a maiden half century.

Gale - He lost the toss and produced a four-ball duck, but hot and cold Gale will be forgiven his failings in this match as he batted so well against Lancashire.

Leaning - He was pitched in at the deep end in the first innings, batting unfairly at three. However, Jack then encouragingly recorded his maiden first-class fifty.

Bairstow - Young Jonny bashed 34 runs in the match from only thirty deliveries, which will do his confidence much good. Surely a big score is just around the corner.

Rashid - Having failed again with the bat, Adil then remarkably bowled eleven overs and took three wickets for a mere eight runs. That's a lot more like it!

Bresnan - Tim did his team few favours with a first-innings duck, but then he bowled his way to five wickets, at a cost of 113 runs, which was quite satisfactory.

Plunkett - Erratic Liam smashed 25 off 25 balls before his own first over cost sixteen runs. Life is rarely dull when he is playing! He bowled very well on the final day.

Patterson - His 24 overs only cost sixty runs, but he slips under the radar on account of taking only one wicket. His bowling contribution remains very valuable.

Brooks - The increasingly-prolific Jack in the box took twice as many wickets in the first innings, but he bowled much more economically second time around.