Bresnan heroics give Yorkshire triple title chance
Tim Bresnan completed one of the great hundreds of the county cricket summer at Lord’s, going to a seven-and-a-half hour 142 not out as Yorkshire turned the tables on title rivals Middlesex in thrilling fashion.
Bresnan’s brilliant 293-ball knock hauled Yorkshire to 390 in reply to Middlesex’s first innings 270, with Ryan Sidebottom then following up his own batting heroics from No.11 by striking with the new ball as he and Jack Brooks dealt Middlesex two early blows before they recovered to 81 for 2 by the end of a gripping third day. Yorkshire, however, still lead by 39 runs.
With 350 needed inside 110 first innings overs for the four batting bonus points that would keep alive their chances of a third successive Specsavers County Championship triumph, Bresnan actually led Yorkshire, who had slipped to 53 for 4 soon after he came to the crease on day two, to an improbable first innings lead of 120.
Bresnan said: "We needed someone to do that and luckily enough it was me. When we came off last night knowing exactly what we had to do, it kind of made it a bit easier - 350 to keep the dream alive.
"Getting there was a massive effort. For Rafa to play like he did, and then Sid to play like he did at the end and get us over the line was immense."
Bresnan was joined in key stands by Azeem Rafiq and Sidebottom, with whom he added 56 for the last wicket to clinch that crucial fourth batting point and put pressure back on Middlesex.
Middlesex, also searching for the win they require to clinch a first title since 1993, were left hugely frustrated as Bresnan and Rafiq, who was dropped on 33 and 38 before reaching 65, added 114 for the seventh wicket as Yorkshire reached 333 for 8 by lunch.
There was huge drama, however, either side of the interval as Rafiq was finally bowled through the gate by Tim Murtagh and, on the stroke of lunch, Steven Patterson edged Steven Finn to Ollie Rayner at second slip to go for 11.
Brooks then poked the fifth ball of the afternoon session straight to Nick Gubbins at mid on, off Murtagh, to depart for a duck, and suddenly Yorkshire were 334 for 9 and in danger of missing out on the fourth batting point they required – should they go on and win the match, of course – to stay in the title hunt.
With the field set back for Bresnan, and with Sidebottom defending stoutly, Yorkshire inched towards their 350 target – until, at 349 for 9 and just after 2pm, bad light followed almost immediately by rain forced the players off.
When play resumed, just over an hour later and now in bright sunshine, Sidebottom survived a huge shout for lbw from Toby Roland-Jones before turning the fast bowler for four and brandishing his bat high in celebration. Sidebottom went on to score 23 before being bowled by Rayner having a swing, while Bresnan clubbed Rayner into the Grand Stand for six and hit 12 fours besides.
Yorkshire resumed on an overnight 235 for 6 with Bresnan on 72 and Rafiq 20 and by the time the second new ball was taken, 11 overs into the third day, their total had moved quickly to 286 for 6 with Rafiq twice fending off fierce Finn lifters over the slip cordon for fours. Rafiq then deliberately uppercut Finn to third man where Nick Compton, diving forward, could not hold on to the catch.
Rafiq had another life when Rayner, at second slip, spilled a fast edge off James Franklin’s left arm seam, as he fell to his left, and Bresnan, on 99, had a scare when he was slow to respond to a call for a leg bye and was almost run out at the bowler’s end.
But Bresnan was soon celebrating, arms and bat aloft in triumph, after going to his sixth first-class hundred from 222 balls. Rafiq hit ten fours in his spirited 97-ball effort, hooking Murtagh for six and battling on bravely after being hit on the helmet on 53 by a short ball from Roland-Jones.
The start of Middlesex’s second innings began with Sam Robson crookedly edging Sidebottom’s sixth ball to third slip, bagging a pair in the process, and Compton being bowled for 1 by an absolute beauty from Brooks, which nipped down the Lord’s slope to clip the top of off stump.
Gubbins and Dawid Malan, however, staunched the blood of a scoreboard showing 2 for 2 and, on a sunlit evening and before another sizeable and engrossed crowd, took their third wicket partnership to an unbroken 79. Gubbins had added an unbeaten 39 to his first innings 125 and Malan was 37 not out.
It was a relatively gentle end to an action-packed day but more drama, on the final day, is surely guaranteed with both Middlesex and Yorkshire needing to win this game now that Somerset sit on top of the table having trounced Nottinghamshire at Taunton.
Bresnan added: "It’s a bit weird isn’t it, like before you start fighting, eyeing each other up and seeing who’s going to land the first punch. That’s only because we bowled so well, and they felt really threatened.
"They could have come in four down and we’d have the game by the scruff of the neck. As it is, it’s about even stevens. Even if it’s 200 off 10 overs we’ve still got to swing and get them. So the ball’s in their court."
Middlesex bowler Tim Murtagh said: "It was a long, tough day. That last wicket partnership was frustrating for us having got ourselves in a good position yesterday.
"Gubbins and Malan played nicely there for the last 30 overs or whatever it was because that could really have been tricky if we were four or five down at the close and in no position to dictate what happens tomorrow.
"We’re a little bit confused up there as to the options and what we want to do. We obviously want to win the game and try and win the title, that’s a massive thing. But we don’t want to just hand it to Yorkshire and set them something ridiculous. So who knows?"
