Ottis Gibson happy to take Yorkshire CCC Battle of Roses ‘honorable draw’ with Lancashire Yorkshire News

The hosts were forced to carry on, 187 runs behind, having been eliminated by 379 early on day four in response to early innings from Lancashire 566-9 declared, but an unbeaten 82 from Brook, the scoring leader of the First Division with 758 with an average of 151.60, carried them to safety at 169-6.

It was Brook’s seventh 50-plus touchdown in eight county championship innings this season, a sequence broken only by his 41 in the opening innings of this game.

The result left Yorkshire fourth in the table after one win and four draws from their first five games.

They are 29 points behind leaders Surrey, who have played one more game.

“We got off to a great start with a win in our first match and then you start thinking you can win every game but that’s not how it turned out,” reflected Ottis Gibson, the head coach of Yorkshire, whose team has now drawn. four games in a row.

“But this was the only game where we’ve really been overpowered and outclassed, so we just have to suck it up and focus on the next game now (at home to Warwickshire on Thursday).

“Over the course of the four days you would say they (Lancashire) dominated us, they dominated a lot of the game, so I think we’re happy to go away with an honorable draw.

“But even though we were dominated, and by day two we were pretty much out of the competition, at no point did we feel like we were going to lose the game, and Brooky played exceptionally well once again.”

Yorkshire once again made a string of catches and Gibson admitted: “Our Achilles’ heel has been our catch, and it has cost us dearly.

“If we weren’t creating opportunities, it would be a different situation, but we are creating opportunities. We’re just not taking advantage of the chances we’re creating, and that’s what hurts us, especially in this game.”

Gibson hinted that Yorkshire could make changes for the Warwickshire match, although pitcher Ben Coad (hamstring) will not be available.

“We could see one or two things,” he added. “I’ve given the guys a couple of days off now and I hope they’re good and fresh for the next game.

“Hopefully we can get a win and finish this block of six games in a good position overall.”