Notts rout Yorkshire for 86 to seal comeback

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(GETTY IMAGES)

Defending champions Nottinghamshire pulled off what will remain one of the season's more extraordinary victories whatever else happens between now and September after bowling out Yorkshire for 86 at Headingley yesterday.

Nottinghamshire had been six down in their second innings and still 18 behind overnight, but coupled an unexpected recovery with the bat with an even more startling performance with the ball as Yorkshire suffered a traumatic lesson.

Even after Chris Read and Steven Mullaney had turned Nottinghamshire's innings around, the pair putting on 103 runs in the first session with each man posting a half-century, Yorkshire should still have had no problem chasing down 145 with more than four sessions left in the match, especially against a visiting attack missing leading wicket-taker Andre Adams because of a groin injury.

But just as their bowling had lost its discipline in the morning, their batting lacked concentration, with the sole exception of Jonathan Bairstow, who made an unbeaten half-century. He and Joe Root apart, no other batsman made more than six as Charlie Shreck, Luke Fletcher and Paul Franks took three wickets each to bowl Nottinghamshire to a 58-run win.

Read's 86 had been notable for a moment of sportsmanship by his opposite number, Andrew Gale, who withdrew his side's appeal after Read, having walked for what he believed was a catch, was run out when Rich Pyrah, who dropped the chance, picked the ball up and threw it to the non-striker's end.

At Worcester, the Warwickshire batsman Varun Chopra, who scored only 409 in 18 first-class innings last season, completed a second double century in as many matches to help his side build a lead of 237 with seven wickets in hand, ending the day on 221 not out.

Sussex took Durham's last five wickets for 54 in 15 overs at Chester-le-Street, where Monty Panesar increased his match return to seven wickets. Chasing 309 to win, Sussex need only another 72 with six wickets in hand on the final day.