Yorkshire had the better of day two of their County Championship match with Durham at Headingley to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation, with Mayank Agarwal’s superb 175 in turn increasing their visitors’ fear of the drop.
This was a batter’s day in sunny Leeds, where two men posted centuries. Durham all-rounder Ben Raine was the first, advancing from 87 not out overnight to a superb 101. Unfortunately for him, though, Durham could only convert a 322-7 score into 346 all out, with new-ball seamer Jack White completing an impressive 5-69.
Indian overseas batter Agarwal – 20 fours and five sixes in 195 balls – followed Raine to three figures as the hosts then replied with a commanding 314-5 from 86 overs. He shared a second-wicket 127 either side of lunch with opener Adam Lyth, whose 69 came on his 38th birthday.
Yorkshire started this week seventh in Division One on 146 points, six clear of second-bottom Durham but with a better most-wins tiebreaker record. They needed 10 points to survive. Five of those have been accrued, and a draw will be enough from here.
For Durham, although it is not yet certain, they will likely have to win this game to stay up. Should Hampshire lose to Surrey, a draw would be enough. Hampshire have the advantage in Southampton.
Durham’s innings was wrapped up inside an eventful first eight overs of the day, in which White claimed all three wickets and Raine reached his second career first-class century.
White bowled Matthew Potts and Daniel Hogg in the 100th over – Potts lost his middle stump and Hogg lost his off stump. Raine and Potts had shared 87 for the eighth wicket from late evening onwards on day one, aggressively advancing Durham from 245-7.
Raine reached his hundred off 101 balls as he took the majority of the strike away from last man Shafiqullah Ghafari before top-edging a swish at White to third-man to end the innings.
Raine’s influence on the contest was extended amidst a tight start to Yorkshire’s reply, him trapping Fin Bean lbw as the score slipped to 9-1 after seven overs. Potts and Raine started with three successive maidens before the latter’s strike.
So, despite good batting conditions, Lyth and Agarwal had to be watchful. They were, but not so much that the runs did not come. Lyth was strong through the off side and Agarwal full of touch as he recovered from two ducks in three previous innings for Yorkshire.
Touch, yes. But there was also increasing power. Both he and Lyth reached afternoon fifties, the latter first off 102 balls. Agarwal’s came off 84 balls with a six down the ground off Ghafari’s leg-spin.
Shortly afterwards, Ghafari had Lyth caught at slip by Potts via a deflection off wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson – 136-2 in the 41st over. But Durham needed more.
Agarwal then took on Ghafari, hitting him for three more sixes before tea – two down the ground in an over and another pulled over mid-wicket to get him to a 122-ball century.
Yorkshire reached the break at 198-2. But shortly afterwards, Raine bowled James Wharton and then had Jonny Bairstow caught behind with 203 on the board.
Agarwal’s presence was a calming influence, however, and he went on to 150 off 176 balls. He pulled Potts for another six. Ghafari did gain revenge for the earlier sixes when the 34-year-old right-hander miscued to long-on at 281-5 in the 75th over, Yorkshire’s deficit now 65.
Matthew Revis and George Hill whittled that down further to 32 through to close and will begin day three on 28 and 23 respectively.
