And now he's taken two quick wickets in the second innings as Lancs slump to 3/2 !

Yes, an absolute joke.....When exactly did this crazy rule come in?...

I booked the day off ages ago so I could go tomorrow, but now I can't - hopefully there will be something worth watching on Saturday, though I'm not sure how likely that is.

Decent recovery from Yorks this afternoon, but I think the damage is done.

I think it's been in place for a while now. Regardless of the teams involved or relative ability of the two players changing places, there has to be a clear potential advantage in one side being able to use a fresh fast bowler who hasn't played for several days in the second innings of a match. .

At least these are like-for-like replacements. Taking the issue a step further, there is surely scope for one team to alter the balance of their side midway though a match by bringing in someone more likely to make an impact on days 3 & 4, i.e. an extra spinner?

Lancs 122 ahead with three second innings wickets down. That looks pretty finely balanced to me.

Well that was a bloody annoying day yesterday.

Tomorrow's the only day I can make, so it'll be interesting to see how much play there is to see.

Yorkshire starting to take control
Lancs 54/5

I think "control" is going a bit OTT!!

Fancy Lancs if they get anything more than a 200 lead, given our fragile batting and tendency to crumble they probably won't even need that.

What is it about Headingley and July 21st?

Thirty years to the day since the end of that remarkable Ashes Test of 1981, Rich Pyrah and Ryan Sidebottom magically transform into Ian Botham and Graham Dilley.

Now, who is going to step forward and be Yorkshire's equivalent of Bob Willis?

Lancs effectively 152-5 and crawling along at less than two an over. No rain forecast though, so the game should produce a positive result.

87/7 now, come on Yorkshire

87/8 now, and Bresnan picked up 4 replacing a guy that 1/68 in the first innings - what a joke of a rule that is!!

96/8 at the interval. Bugger.

Exactly. Can't blame Yorkshire though (sadly!!). It's a ridiculous rule that all teams would exploit. If England carry on batting today can we not bring Jimmy in for one of our batsmen??



PS I use the word "batsmen" very loosely in Lancashire's case!!

I've no issue with that rule and never have had, it stops counties being penalised because players are taken away by England and then never used.

How difficult would it be though for the ECB to schedule CC rounds so they start the day after a Test match? That way whoever misses out of from the 12/13 for England can return to their county before the game starts.

That would involve common sense mate!!

If Pyrah carries on at this rate, he'll be the next Yorkshire player to go on an England tour as the token northern monkey drinks waiter...

Far too sensible.

More specifically the fact a Roses game (sadly one of the few CC games that could attract a decent crowd) is scheduled against a test match is stupid in the first place, as is the fact that they don't maximise the weekend days for such games - you get the impression they aren't that bothered about trying to get bodies through the gates for the Championship.

True - the ECB are more interested in "streamlining" the county game by driving them all into bankruptcy bidding for Test matches.

Rumoured that Glamorgan lost £1.5m on the Sri Lanka test - won't be long before we're back to only having 4-5 grounds interested in hosting Tests, two of which are in central London.

Lancs move past the 100 mark, slightly disappointed by that.

Bit of a counter-attack from Hogg and Mahmood.

Does seem the way to play on this pitch is to attack, because sooner or later you're going to get one with your name on it if you just stick around prodding and defending.

Lancs 194 ao - Yorkshire need 284 to win, can't see it happening, I think that 9th wicket partnership took it away from us.

No chance, you'll win by at least 6 wickets.

Seems like a positive start, 40/0 after 11, a collapse is never far away though.

and, as if by magic, there goes the first.

Fatty only got 15 in the first innings so he'll stick around til the end now I would say.

McGrath goes for 19, 81/2 - 204 more to win.