Six-wicket return from Abbas puts Notts in command

A superb six-wicket return from Mohammad Abbas and second half-centuries in the match for Ben Slater and Joe Clarke helped Division One leaders Nottinghamshire seize control of this Rothesay County Championship clash with Yorkshire on day two at Headingley.

Pakistani Test seamer Abbas was the chief protagonist with 6 for 45 from 17.3 overs - four of his wickets coming either side of lunch to secure a 49th career first-class haul of five wickets or more - as Yorkshire were bowled out for 159 in reply to a first-innings 228.

Former England batter Dawid Malan impressed with a counter-attacking 64 off 45 balls as second-bottom Yorkshire, who started the day on 10 for 2, lost regular wickets. But it wasn't enough.

From early afternoon onwards, Nottinghamshire's pursuit of a fourth win gathered even more steam, with opener Slater top-scoring with 78 off 125 balls in 227 for 3 from 61 overs, a lead of 296. Clarke provided important support with a fluent unbeaten 72 not out off 92.

Left-handed Slater bettered his opening day 52 and shared half-century partnerships with Haseeb Hameed and Clarke, who top-scored with 64 in the first innings.

As 35-year-old Abbas claimed his second haul of five wickets or more in three matches for Notts this season, it meant Yorkshire have now only posted first-innings totals of 250 or more on three occasions in seven matches in 2025.

They have a mountain to climb to avoid a fourth defeat in seven games this season.

Nottinghamshire captain Hameed shared 73 inside 16 overs for the first wicket with Slater in their second innings to more than double a commanding lead of 69. Hameed's 33 was confidently compiled on a largely gloomy Leeds day.

Just as Yorkshire will have been frustrated with their efforts with the bat, they would have been with the ball too. Conditions remained helpful for the seamers, but they failed to apply any pressure.

Hameed was caught behind off a beauty from Jordan Thompson which bounced and nipped away before Freddie McCann was unlucky to have been given caught behind off Ben Coad for 15 shortly before tea with the score on 113 for 2, a lead of 179.

But Slater, who was eye-catching on the drive, continued. He reached a well-paced fifty off 68 balls and shared 70 for the third wicket with Clarke before edging behind one which nipped away from Matthew Revis's seam.

Clarke went on to reach his fifty off 55 balls and shared a day-ending unbroken 54 partnership for the fourth wicket with Jack Haynes, 13.

Earlier, Yorkshire reached lunch at 119 for 7, with seamers Dillon Pennington and Brett Hutton striking twice apiece and 35-year-old Abbas once as Notts strengthened their grip.

En-route, they had to survive a counter-attacking half-century from Malan, who played a series of eye-catching shots and made it look like he was batting on a featherbed pitch.

Malan drove imperiously and hoisted his quartet of sixes over the leg-side, reaching his fifty off only 34 balls upon his return to the side following three games out with a groin injury.

After the early departure of James Wharton - caught at first slip off Pennington, 15 for 4 - Malan shared 37 for the fifth wicket with nightwatchman Jack White, who chanced his arm for 18 before he also edged Pennington into the slips.

Hutton had Harry Duke caught behind and Malan lbw playing to leg, and when Abbas claimed his first wicket of the day by rocking back George Hill's middle stump with one which kept low and jagged back, Yorkshire were 107 for 7 in the 34th over of the innings.

After lunch, Abbas claimed his fourth and fifth wickets in successive balls as Yorkshire slipped to 124 for nine. Captain Dom Bess edged to fourth slip and Thompson to first.

Revis, with 27, and Coad shared 35 for the last wicket, but it was only brief respite as the former dragged on to Abbas, leaving the visitors with all but two sessions of batting to do through to close. They did it expertly.