Students' spirited display stretches Yorkshire

Only the first two three-day games played by each of the six university centres each summer are first-class affairs, meaning that the other matches – such as this – are technically no more than friendlies.

Leeds-Bradford have already had their first-class quota for the summer, achieving respectable draws at Warwickshire and Sussex.

According to Nick Davis, their manager, they would have relished the chance to add to their first-class experience against a Yorkshire team who are certainly the epitome of first-class opposition, having won back-to-back County Championships and odds-on to reclaim a third this year.

On the opening day of the season at Headingley, it was by no means a case of a strong county simply overpowering a bunch of students. Leeds-Bradford made a respectable 225-8 after winning the toss, Logan Weston top-scoring with an unbeaten 68 and opener Henry Thompson contributing 64.

Had it been a first-class game, it would have been both batsmen’s highest first-class scores.

As it was, they had to be content with spearheading a spirited effort by the visiting team, who had shown in their visits to Edgbaston and Hove that they possess plenty of talent. Even captain Alex Lilley’s decision to bat first betrayed a certain degree of confidence.

Lilley, a former Yorkshire pace bowler, thus backed his batsmen against Yorkshire’s regular Championship seam bowling line-up minus the injured Tim Bresnan.

Initially, it looked a risky undertaking as Jack Brooks reduced the visitors to 11-2 inside eight overs, bowling Steve Bullen and then catching Billy Root – brother of Joe – off his own bowling.

But the students rallied in glorious sunshine that eventually gave way to gloomy conditions, reaching 92-4 at lunch as 23-year-old Thompson, who made his debut in the corresponding match three years ago, which was first-class, helped steer them into calmer waters.

He added 48 for the third wicket in 18 overs with Christian Davis, who fell lbw to spinner Karl Carver, with the occasional off-spin of Adam Lyth accounting for George Scott on the stroke of lunch.

Thompson went shortly after the break when he edged a good one from Ryan Sidebottom to Alex Lees at first slip, having faced 122 balls and hit nine fours.

At 109-5, Yorkshire sensed a window of opportunity, but they were held up by Weston and Liam Watkinson, who added 53 inside 14 overs. It took the return of Brooks to break the stand, Watkinson lbw for 17 before Carver bowled Ash Gowers to leave the students 177-7.

Weston found another ally in Lilley, with whom he added 48 before the latter was caught at mid-wicket by Will Rhodes to give Carver his third wicket.

Weston, who reached fifty in the grand manner by launching Carver for six over mid-on, faced 114 deliveries and struck four fours.