Stumps Day 2: Middlesex 212 and 127-4, Yorkshire 229.
Jonny Bairstow held Yorkshire together with a sparkling unbeaten 125 against Middlesex at Headingley yesterday - an inning which prompted club coach Jason Gillespie to state that he thought the wicketkeeper-batsman should be with the England side.
On a tricky playing surface, Bairstow continued the phenomenal batting form which had brought him scores of 102, 59, 50 and 66 in his four previous Championship innings since returning to his county side.
With Bairstow on 56 and Yorkshire floundering on 171 for eight in reply to Middlesex's first innings score of 212, both his own century and a first innings lead seemed a long way off. But Bairstow had managed to advance to 72 when Tim Bresnan departed at 188 to bring in last man, Jack Brooks, who settled into a more sensible mode after twice stealing singles off the last ball of an over.
Bairstow's second of two sixes at the expense of Toby Roland-Jones raised the 200 and a boundary off James Harris brought him his century off 161 balls with nine fours and two sixes. It was his tenth in first class matches for Yorkshire, putting him one ahead of his late father David's tally. He drove Ollie Rayner for consecutive sixes, the second being palmed over the line by Roland-Jones, but in the same over Brooks was caught behind, leaving Bairstow stranded after receiving 187 deliveries and spanking ten fours and four sixes.
The tenth wicket stand was worth 59 in 13 overs and it took Yorkshire to 229 and gave them a first innings lead of 17 which was erased by Joe Burns and Sam Robson with little fuss. They shared an opening stand of 51 together before Brooks struck with consecutive deliveries in the second over after tea, Burns being stunningly caught right handed by Adam Lyth at second slip and Nick Compton getting one which skimmed into his pads.
Almost immediately after Dawid Malan had called for a runner (Burns), Neil Dexter fell lbw to Bresnan, the game then going through a quieter phase as Malan and James Franklin got Middlesex back on an even keel. Their stand was worth 55 by the close and with the visitors 127 for four and leading by 110 it was still anyone's game.
----------
Tea Day 2: Middlesex 212 & 45-0*; Yorkshire 229
Jonny Bairstow struck a dazzling 125 not out at Headingley today to dig Yorkshire out of deep trouble and give them an unlikely first innings lead of 17 against Middlesex on the second day of the LV=County Championship match.
But Joe Burns and Sam Robson had little trouble wiping out the arrears and at tea Middlesex were 45 for none with Burns on 20 and Robson 19.
Bairstow's five scores since resuming Championship cricket for Yorkshire this season now stand at 102, 59, 50, 66 and 125* and his latest blast came off 187 balls with ten fours and four sixes.
The wicketkeeper-batsman's century and a Yorkshire lead both seemed a long way off when last man, Jack Brooks, walked to the crease at 170 for nine in reply to 212 with Bairstow on 72.
But after twice poaching singles off the last ball of an over, Brooks settled down to support his partner who raised the 200 by driving Toby Roland-Jones over long-on for six before reaching his century from 161 balls with nine fours and two sixes.
He went on to spank Ollie Rayner for two sixes in three balls but with the last wicket stand worth 59 in 13 overs, the off-spinner had Brooks caught behind by John Simpson.
It was a great recovery after Yorkshire had lost Jack Leaning and Glenn Maxwell to the first three balls of the day from Roland-Jones who ended with four for 78 while his new-ball partner, Tim Murtagh, had three for 62.
----------
Lunch Day 2: Middlesex 212; Yorkshire 165-8*
Jonny Bairstow fought hard to revive Yorkshire after they had lost two wickets to the first three balls of the day on the second morning of their LV=County Championship encounter with Middlesex at Headingley.
The wicketkeeper-batsman was still there at lunch with 67 when Yorkshire were 165 for eight in reply to Middlesex's first innings score of 212.
The County Champions resumed on a shaky 96 for four with Bairstow on 25 and Jack Leaning 20 and Leaning departed lbw to Toby Roland Jones' first delivery.
Australian, Glenn Maxwell, who made his Yorkshire debut with 0 and 2 in the previous match against Somerset at Taunton, again failed to score, flashing outside off-stump at his second ball to be caught behind by John Simpson.
Will Rhodes was of the mark with a boundary which took Yorkshire into three figures but at 137 he fell to Tim Murtagh for 11 as Simpson dived to his left to pull off another good catch.
Bairstow's half century off 89 balls with six fours, followed on the heels of his four previous Championship knocks this season of 102, 59, 50 and 66, but he soon lost Tim Bresnan who edged James Harris to second slip where Ollie Rayner completed his third catch of the innings in that position.
Yorkshire, trailing by 70, moved closer to parity as the level-headed Steven Patterson gave sensible support to Bairstow who was doing his best to hold the innings together and at lunch they had added a valuable 23 for the ninth wicket, the gap having been reduced to 47.