Yorkshire and Durham face a thrilling shootout on the final day to decide their County Championship clash at Riverside.
Defending for a 246 goal, Matthew Fisher claimed four wickets to turn the game in the visitors’ favor after Durham threatened to force their way to victory through 56 from Michael Jones.
Fisher produced a brilliant spell in the evening session backed up by Jordan Thompson with three strikes of his own to set the White Rose on course.
But, having taken four wickets apiece with the ball to beat Yorkshire for 218 earlier in the day, Matthew Potts and Ben Raine produced brilliant support for the ninth wicket to bring Durham back into the game.
The home side need 33 runs to win with two wickets remaining, although one of them belongs to an ill Brydon Carse who missed the entirety of matchday three through injury.
Yorkshire strengthened their position in the opening 50 minutes as Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow took their partnership to the 100 point mark.
But Ollie Robinson produced two moments of magic behind the stumps with two brilliant catches to brush aside the England internationals, diving low to his left to knock out Malan for 44 and then to his right to end Bairstow’s stay on 36.
George Hill continued to be a thorn in Durham’s side in the contest after his four-wicket breakout. The 22-year-old played with ease through midfield to build Yorkshire’s 200 lead.
Hill became the game’s first half-centurion by dispatching Potts for successive boundaries.
But Bas de Leede produced a delivery gem to take out Matthew Revis before Potts blew up the game by taking out Dom Bess and Hill on back-to-back deliveries before lunch.
Fisher survived the hat-trick ball but Potts and Raine ended Yorkshire’s innings as Thompson and Mickey Edwards were the last two wickets to fall.
Alex Lees got Durham’s chase off to a quick start, taking 20 runs off Fisher’s first two overs.
The southpaw fought his way to the 38 before Fisher got his revenge to get the visitors’ breakthrough. Thompson then removed Scott Borthwick, who directly joined Bess in the middle of the wicket.
Jones established his stand as Durham’s anchor and challenged the Yorkshire attack with a stoic jab throughout the evening. The opener was dialed in and worked its way to a deserved half century from 132 balls.
But the visitors got back into the contest thanks to a devastating spell from Fisher from Lumley End as Robinson offered a loose shot which Lyth pocketed on the first slip before taking Jones for 54 with the help of a generous lbw decision .
De Leede continued Durham’s procession as Fisher landed his fourth to leave the hosts in shock.
Thompson relieved Fisher but the relentless nature of Yorkshire’s campaign for the win continued as he fired Graham Clark and Patel in successive balls.
Raine and Potts held on in the closing stages of the day to bring Durham closer to victory, leaving a tantalizing final day in prospect.
Report provided by the ECB Reporters Network.
