John Ward reports on the third day’s play in the Championship match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire at Headingley

John Ward at Headingley02-May-2008
Scorecard
Chris Read: his 12th first-class hundred put Yorkshire onto the back foot © Getty Images
A superb fighting century by Chris Read, England’s forgotten wicketkeeper (by the selectors, if nobody else), lifted Nottinghamshire from a position of danger to one of dominance against Yorkshire on the third day at Headingley.”It’s not an easy pitch to score runs quickly on” seemed to be the common verdict. To all appearances, though, the pitch underwent quite a transformation after lunch, as Read and his enterprising sixth-wicket partner, Graeme Swann, tucked into the hapless Yorkshire bowling attack, which was missing Morne Morkel with a hamstring strain. For the first time in the matchthe scoreboard fairly galloped along as the pair added 136 runs, and in the process turned the match on its head.Until Read and Swann joined forces, Yorkshire were taking a grip. Their bowling was useful rather than threatening, while Nottinghamshire’s top order, with the exception of Mark Wagh, had disappointed. Matthew Hoggard and Morkel made the batsmen fight for runs, with Morkel wayward in direction at times, but then producing the odd vicious rearing delivery reminiscent of an inspired Steve Harmison.Wagh made a steady start to a solid innings, reaching fifty off 125 deliveries, but was handicapped by a heavy outfield. Darren Gough did not take the new ball for Yorkshire, but when he did come on, he proved expensive. In his second spell, though, he immediately took the vital wicket of Wagh, whose low slash to gully was splendidly held by Adil Rashid. Without his 56, the heroics that followed might never have occurred. Nottinghamshire were reeling at 115 for 5.Swann was the man who first began to change the complexion of the match. Until then, no batsman had really taken the bowling apart successfully, though Gerard Brophy had not done too badly on the first day, but Swann was not prepared to bow to convention and soon pulled Gough for six. In fact, apart from Wagh’s wicket, it was not destined to be a good day for the Yorkshire captain with the ball. Read decided to join the party, as the modern saying goes, and smackedhim for three fours in the next over.Legspinner Rashid was the next bowler to suffer, as Swann hit him for two sixes, over long-on and then straight, as he ran to his fifty off 57 balls. Read joined him in the following over, taking 80 balls. In all, 147 runs came in the afternoon session for just one wicket, by far the most productive batting period of the match.Morkel said after close of play that the pitch had become slower on the third day, while the bowlers were no longer able to get the ball to swing and they found conditions less favourable, especially with the old ball which lost condition badly.It took a surprise delivery from Anthony McGrath to break the stand: a quicker, straight ball kept a little low and trapped Swann lbw for an invaluable 68. But there was no respite for Yorkshire’s suffering bowlers, as Read had his sights set high and Stuart Broad looked every inch an allrounder, especially when he drove with power and élan through the covers.Read survived a difficult chance at second slip on 93, but reached his 12th career century with a handsome boundary through extra cover. It took him 168 deliveries, and Broad soon arrived at his fifty off 70 balls.The pair batted through a period of dim light until the sun-bathed close of play, by which time all Yorkshire had left to hope for was a salvaged draw. Nottinghamshire were 57 runs ahead with four wickets still standing, and everything to play for on the final day.