By Dominic Farrell
England duo Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow were in the runs for Yorkshire on the second day of their match against Leeds/Bradford MCCU at Headingley.
Ballance, who made his Test debut in the final Test of the Ashes tour before playing four of the subsequent one-day internationals, scored 101 from 154 deliveries with 10 fours and a six.
Yorkshire’s captain for the match, Ballance was bowled by William Vanderspar but Bairstow – England’s wicketkeeper in the last two Ashes Tests – remained unbeaten on 61 when bad light brought an early close with the hosts on 366 for five in response to Leeds/Bradford’s 139 all out.
Another gloveman in the runs was Surrey’s Steven Davies, who brought up 100 not out drive home his side’s advantage over Cambridge MCCU.
Dominic Silbley scored 61 and, when the opener fell lbw to Zain Shahzad, Davies was joined by Gary Wilson for an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 148 – the latter scoring 53 – before the LV= County Championship side declared on 259.
That was a lead of 205 following Stuart Meaker’s first-day distruction of the Cambridge batting order and it was new-ball partner Tim Linley who tormented them this time around.
Linley took 3-5 from seven overs, the score falling to 27 for three, to give Surrey every chance of wrapping up victory tomorrow morning after rain and bad light intervened.
Sussex seamers James Anyon and Lewis Hatchett took nine wickets between them as Loughborough MCCU were all out for 93 at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground.
Anyon was the pick with 5-14 before the home team closed on 191 for five, a lead of 519 following their first innings 421 for nine declared.
Steffan Piolet is 75 not out for Sussex, although off-spinner Adam Riley impressed with 3-38 that included the wickets of Matt Prior for a duck and first-innings centurion Matt Machan .
Derbyshire assumed a similar position of total control versus Durham MCCU, as Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chesney Hughes scored 91 and 53 respectively.
Chanderpaul and Hughes were the third and fourth batsmen to pass 50 after the visitors were dismissed for 67 on day one, although the latter’s dismissal prompted a collapse from 376 for three to 428 all out - paceman Tim Alexander ending with figures of 4-80.
Tim Groenewald was Durham’s tormentor in chief on the opening day and he had Hugo Darby caught by Wes Durston for a duck.
Derbyshire will be confident of wrapping up an innings victory on the final day, with a close score of 33 for one meaning an unlikely 328 more are needed to make them bat again.
Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan’s bowling attacks shared the wickets around on productive days against Oxford MCCU and Cardiff MCCU respectively.
Lloyd Paternott’s 50 was the sum of Oxford’s resistance as they were all out for 102 at The Parks, handing Notts a first-innings advantage of 135 that they would improve by 34 for two at stumps – Samit Patel and Riki Wessels the men out.
In another day’s play truncated by the weather, Glamorgan skittled their opponents for 112 before closing on 35 without loss, a lead of 224.