WICKETS continued to fall but Jonny Bairstow stood firm on the second morning of Yorkshire’s LV=Division One match against Middlesex at Headingley.
At lunch Yorkshire were 165-8 at lunch in reply to Middlesex’s 212 with Bairstow 67 not out off 124 balls and Steven Patterson unbeaten on 12. The pair have so far added 23 for the ninth wicket in a game where such partnerships are invaluable.
However, the morning had begun dreadfully for the home side when Jack Leaning was leg before to the first ball of the day, bowled by Toby Roland-Jones, and then Glenn Maxwell was caught behind by John Simpson two balls later when flashing well outside the off stump.
Those wickets left the home side on 96-6 but Bairstow and Will Rhodes then added 35 for the seventh wicket before Rhodes, who had batted responsibly for 11, edged a good ball from Tim Murtagh to Simpson.
Tim Bresnan made just four before he was caught at second slip by Rayner off James Harris but Bairstow continued unflappably on, his innings being particularly admirable because of the unfamiliar style in which it was played.
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