Yorkshire kept themselves in contention to win three titles in a row for the sixth time in their history after claiming a crucial fourth batting point against Middlesex, whose hopes of breaking a hiatus of over two decades without the championship appear increasingly distant.
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Team-mate Jack Brooks had earlier taken a career-best 6 for 65 as Middlesex were dismissed for 270.
Somerset’s haul of seven bonus points from that game means that not only is a draw at Lord’s of no use to second-placed Yorkshire, but also of no use to leaders Middlesex, who would also need to win should Somerset prevail.
A stalemate between Middlesex, who are aiming for a first title for 22 years, and Yorkshire – bidding to claim a third championship in a row – would be enough for Somerset to prevail, but the champagne is very much on ice in the West Country.
“We obviously want to win the game and try and win the title, that’s a massive thing”, said Murtagh.
“They bowled really well at us for a little spell and made it really tough for us but cricket is about little battles, and we managed to overcome that challenge and kick on”. Even if it’s 200 off 10 overs, we’ve still got to swing and get them. Just take it in tens.
Ryan Sidebottom, the No11 batsman who struck the runs that got Yorkshire over that line after the restart, before going on to help set up their 120-run first innings lead, said: “It’s been such a long season and to go down to the wire on the last day is fantastic in itself, great for the County Championship and for everyone here watching and on telly”.
Partnerships which had proved hard in the face of some superb new ball bowling from Roland-Jones, steadily became the feature of the day as Hodd and Bresnan shared a 116 stand, Willey hit a muscular 22 adding 35 for the sixth and then Bresnan was joined by Rafiq.
Hodd himself batted excellently to make 64, though he was somewhat fortunate to survive after being dropped by Nick Compton at third slip on 22.
Their partnership was broken when Simpson (15) shouldered arms to Tim Bresnan and was trapped leg before, and the same bowler should have reduced the hosts to 160-6 after forcing an edge from James Franklin, only for Gary Ballance to let the ball burst from his grasp at third slip.
All of the hosts’ early control completely dissipated as Bresnan, who came to the crease at 32-3 on Wednesday, guided the champions to a first-innings lead of 120 with a superb unbeaten 142.
For the umpeteenth time, Yorkshire’s fragile top-order was bailed out by those of supposedly inferior ability, at least in terms of the scorecard running order, with the champions needing to look no further than their misfiring batting line-up if they do miss out on their treble quest.
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“That first hour on Thursday is going to govern which way the match is swaying”. You have to play the situation and see what’s happening. “If you come into the last game and dangle the carrot of if you win it you win the Championship, you take that – so not a bad place to be”.
