Cricket: Byas gives Yorkshire respectabilty

Yorkshire. . . . .316-8

Leicestershire

YORKSHIRE withstood an excellent, sustained spell of seam bowling by Leicestershire's Gordon Parsons to reach a respectable total after winning the toss at Harrogate yesterday.

Parsons struck an early blow by bowling Michael Vaughan, but Yorkshire rallied with a stand of 114 in 46 overs between Martyn Moxon and David Byas.

Moxon hit eight fours in a painstaking 53 before falling to Vince Wells, while Byas - who hooked Wells for a six as well as striking 16 fours - made 91 from 220 balls until he drove a catch to mid-off to give Parsons a richly deserved success. He finished the day with 3 for 60 from 30 overs.

Richie Richardson, Craig White and Richard Blakey all reached double figures but failed to go on from that early platform, and it took a stand of 43 in five overs between Paul Grayson and Peter Hartley to put them back on top. Grayson made 60 from only 65 balls, including 10 fours, before being bowled by Wells.

Chris Lewis and Kevin Evans each took four wickets as Nottinghamshire bowled out Somerset for 246 on a greenish Taunton pitch. Only Rob Turner (56) and Marcus Trescothick (53) held firm.