Reliable Patterson presses Yorkshire advantage

Steve Patterson was the pick of the five-strong pack of fast bowlers as Yorkshire steadily built up a position of strength over Worcestershire on the second day of the LV= County Championship match at Scarborough.

At the close Worcestershire had worked hard to reach 195 for 6 in reply to the Champions' first innings score of 430 - and three of the wickets had been claimed by Patterson.

Ryan Sidebottom, Jack Brooks, Tim Bresnan and Liam Plunkett may grab the headlines more regularly than the ever-reliable Patterson but his consistency and economy rarely desert him.

And it was his length and line and inward movement that again stood him in good stead as Worcestershire fought gallantly but still lost wickets just when batsmen appeared to be well set.

Only 19-year-old Joe Clarke, in his sixth match, really got established and he remained unbeaten on 76 to overhaul his previous best score of 70 made against Hampshire last week.

Openers Daryl Mitchell and Richard Oliver safely negotiated the first five overs of the innings up to lunch and they had moved their stand to 32 before Oliver edged a drive at Brooks and was superbly caught by Plunkett moving smartly to his right at fourth slip.

Patterson, coming on as second change, nipped one back to have Mitchell lbw for 14 the first ball after a short break for rain and a promising innings of 30 from Tom Fell ended when he edged Plunkett to Jack Leaning at second slip.

Clarke built up his score in unflustered fashion but in a new spell from the Peasholm Park end Patterson struck twice to leave Worcestershire on 119 for 5. Brett D'Oliveira nibbled outside off-stump for Jonny Bairstow to take the catch and Ross Whiteley also edged to Leaning in the arc of slips.

In rapidly fading light, Adil Rashid joined the attack and his long hop was struck for six by Clarke immediately before the players were off for an early tea and the loss of 16 overs. Three balls into the resumption, bad light caused a further four-over stoppage but the ground was then bathed in sunlight for the remaining 14.3 overs.

Clarke completed a valiant 50 off 75 balls with two fours and a six but shortly before the close his 56 stand with Ben Cox ended when the wicketkeeper clipped Brooks low to Rashid at mid-wicket.

Although Yorkshire were in a strong position at 357 for five off 88 overs when they resumed in the morning with Andrew Gale on 127, they still had to work hard to make it to maximum batting points.

While Gale struggled to find his fluency of the previous day, wickets toppled at the other end, Joe Leach starting the slide with the dismissal of Bresnan before the persevering Charlie Morris chipped in with three wickets for one run in the space of 13 balls.

Yorkshire were 391 for 9 in the 103rd over when last man Sidebottom joined his captain who raised the 400 for a fifth batting point by working Leach to the long-leg boundary.

The innings was wound up by Jack Shantry who had Gale caught by Mitchell for 164 from 297 deliveries with 19 boundaries, Leach finishing with four for 139 and Morris three for 90.

North Marine Road is a happy hunting ground for Gale who has now scored 815 in his last seven Championship innings at the venue.