Warwickshire are on the brink of victory over Yorkshire at Edgbaston after one of the most sensational turnarounds in County Championship history.
Well on top after day one, Yorkshire will resume on the last morning on 98-5, chasing 549 for victory, after the home side piled up 553-6 in their second innings.
Sam Hain scored 164 not out from 319 balls, his 20th first-class century, with assertive support from Ed Barnard (60) and Zen Malik (57).
Facing their mammoth target, Yorkshire were then reduced to 14-3 by Ethan Bamber’s burst of 3-5 in 22 balls. The additional fall of Harry Brook and Jonny Bairstow just before the close has left the White Rose needing a miracle from their lower order, or lots of rain, on the final day.
This truly remarkable match saw Yorkshire dominate the first day but Warwickshire dominate the next two to an even greater degree. After bowling their way back into the match on the second, their batters relentlessly pressing home their advantage on the third.
They resumed on 267-3, already 262 ahead and soon lost Beau Webster (32) who fell lbw to an in-ducker from George Hill, but it proved an isolated success for Yorkshire’s toiling attack.
To Hain’s implacable anchor, Barnard added punishing strokes. In a perfect captain’s innings, which added impetus just when needed, the skipper capitalised on a short boundary, landing three sixes into the Hollies Stand, two off Ben Cliff and one off Logan van Beek, on the way to a 38-ball half-century.
After Barnard lofted van Beek to long leg, Malik joined Hain to form yet another productive partnership. Warwickshire highest stand in the first innings was 30 – their lowest completed stand in their second was 52.
Hain reached his century from 252 balls and Malik followed to his 50 in 82 as Yorkshire understandably spared their front-line bowlers from pointless drudgery while they waited for the declaration.
Malik lifted Dom Bess to deep cover and there was just time for Jordan Thompson to hoist former colleagues Harry Brook and Dom Bess for sixes before the declaration came at tea.
With four sessions to bat, Yorkshire plunged to 14-3 after a superb new-ball spell from Bamber. While Olly Hannon-Dalby kept the other end as tight as can be, conceding eight runs from seven overs, Bamber removed openers Finlay Bean and Adam Lyth lbw and bowled James Wharton, offering no shot.
Matthew Revis and Brook added 59 in 15 overs to retain a sliver of hope for the White Rose, but that sliver evaporated in five minutes late in the day. Brook drilled a return catch to Thompson and, seven balls later, Bairstow was bowled by Barnard.
