Ballance is toast of Scarborough landladies

Yorkshire 282 and 200 for 4 (Ballance 75*) lead Nottinghamshire 94 (Bresnan 3-15, Sidebottom 3-21, Brooks 3-41) by 388 runsScorecard

The second day of this match was probably not one on which any Yorkshire supporter was well-advised to stay at home and cut his hedge. On the other hand, it may have been wise for Nottinghamshire loyalists in Scarborough to turn off their phones and head instead for the Howardian Hills.

Unless more rains falls than is forecast, Chris Read’s team will need to bat for around 150 overs to save a game they actually need to win. Wednesday’s evidence suggests they are ill-equipped to get halfway towards this objective.

Nottinghamshire’s decline on a day containing one collapse and the odd longueur gathered pace at 11.20 when Ryan Sidebottom ran in to bowl from the Peasholm Park End. Unkempt locks flopping in the breeze, the Yorkshire bowler looked uncommonly like a 17th century Puritan, an Anabaptist perhaps. It had already been a productive session for Sidebottom, who had dismissed Michael Lumb in his second over when the batsman groped at an away-swinger and edged a catch to Andy Hodd.

Now Steven Mullaney played a shot almost at right angles to a very straight ball which whacked into his pad. Sidebottom swivelled and demanded that divine judgement be visited upon the unrighteous. Neil Mallender, who might be flattered by such a notion, obliged. The moving finger was raised and Mullaney moved on.

Nottinghamshire were 48 for 4 when their opener was out and they had added only four more when Samit Patel attempted a brainless uppercut to a ball that was too close and too low for the shot. First slip Tim Bresnan took a two-handed head-high catch and Read’s men were 230 runs behind …

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