Yorkshire blitz downs Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge (From York Press)

Yorkshire blitz downs Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge

10:18am Wednesday 8th September 2010 in

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YORKSHIRE’S best bowling display in four-day cricket for more than 30 years – followed by a magnificent century from captain Andrew Gale – breathed new life into their championship title challenge.

Tykes dismissed Nottinghamshire for only 59 runs on day one at Trent Bridge, before Gale’s brilliance with the bat continued his side’s domination against the current league leaders.

“This has been my best day as captain,” said Gale at the close, after leading Yorkshire to a first-innings lead of 201 runs.

“It is only day one of this match, so we cannot get too far ahead of ourselves.

“The bowling display was brilliant though. They barely bowled a bad ball between them, and that is the best all-round performance from an attack that I have seen since I started playing for the county.”

Few can argue with his opinion either – after the Tykes attack demolished their opponents to make sure Nottinghamshire’s total was the lowest made against the county in this form of cricket since Warwickshire posted just 35 in 1979.

On a pitch which may yet be investigated by the ECB, it was Ajmal Shahzad and Oliver Hannon-Dalby who where the pick of the bowlers, with four wickets apiece, while Moin Ashraf also deserves huge credit for a wicket-laiden debut.

Making his first ever championship appearance, the 18-year-old fast bowler finished with figures of 2-11, as the home side where blown away.

It took Ashraf and company only 33 overs to bowl them out, with five of the Nottinghamshire batsmen getting ducks and only two reaching double figures.

Then came Gale’s efforts with the bat. Despite rare failures from openers Jacques Rudolph, who made ten, and Adam Lyth, who made 19, the left-hander attacked from the off to lead his side into a hugely dominant position by the close.

York-based Jonathan Bairstow provided him with the best support, making a plucky 36, but while other wickets were falling at regular intervals, Gale remained unmoved.

By the end of play he was only two runs short of equalling his previous first-class best of 149 and, with a first-innings lead of more than 200, it is now Yorkshire’s match to lose with two wickets in hand.

“I am not bothered about any personal achievements from this match,” added Gale.

“I wanted to play my innings like a one-day knock when I got to the crease because I thought that was the best tactic on this pitch.”

Yorkshire have already picked up five bonus points from this game though – meaning they will close to within at least seven points of Notts if they can turn their excellent current position into a victory.