Yorkshire v Warwickshire: Yorkshire pace it perfectly to chase down win

If Yorkshire are still at the summit on September 16, the scheduled last day of the season, it will be a remarkable achievement by a club who spent the last four summers battling relegation.

With six games to go there is time enough for them to slip up, but, on the evidence of what we have seen so far, there is no reason to suppose they will fade away.

For Yorkshire to maintain their hope of winning the league, you sensed it was imperative they beat a Warwickshire side who slipped to the bottom of the table with this defeat.

Although there are no easy games in professional sport, as players and coaches are so fond of telling us, Warwickshire are the sort of side that should be beaten by a team with serious title aspirations.

To their credit, Warwickshire fought tenaciously to gain a second innings lead of 199 yesterday after being forced to follow-on, 172 behind.

Rikki Clarke – 51 overnight – batted just over six hours in total to score an unbeaten 127 as the visitors made 371 before being dismissed on the stroke of tea.

But Yorkshire had too much quality to let slip a chance to pile more pressure on Nottinghamshire and the chasing pack.

Left to score 200 in 37 overs, they got there with 14 balls to spare as Jacques Rudolph (80) and Jonathan Bairstow (64 not out) made splendid half-centuries – just as they did during the four-wicket success at Edgbaston in April.

Victory was sweet for acting captain Rudolph, who recorded his first win in charge of Yorkshire at the 11th attempt.

"It was a long time coming," he laughed, "but the lads played superbly well and showed great fighting spirit.

"We've still got to play Nottinghamshire twice and that could be the decider in terms of the Championship.

"If we can have two good performances against them we'll have a great chance, but I think it's a bit premature to say we're going to win the league.

"Our young team is playing really well but we know there's still a long way to go."

After Adil Rashid captured 5-137 in Warwickshire's second innings, the 12th five-wicket haul of his fledgling career, Rudolph laid the foundation for a run-chase that was expertly paced.

The South African made light of the early loss of Adam Lyth, his prolific opening partner, to put Warwickshire on the back foot with a number of dexterous nudges and destructive drives.

Anthony McGrath fell with the total on 47 but Rudolph and Bairstow combined in a third-wicket stand of 80 in 15 overs.

Rudolph was disappointed to depart to a run-out but Bairstow saw Yorkshire home in the company of Rashid after Gerard Brophy chipped in with a useful cameo.

"I knew one of us would have to get 80 or 90 and I thought my partnership with Jonny made it really difficult for them," added Rudolph.

"A run-chase like that reaches the stage where the fielding side starts panicking, and you could see it got to the point where they didn't really know where to go.

"It helped that myself and Jonny had got runs against them at Edgbaston and as soon as he came in I said 'we've done it before, so there's no reason why we can't do it again'.

"For a young player he shows so much maturity, and I thought his innings was outstanding."

Bairstow, who faced 61 balls and struck seven fours and a six, again displayed a terrific temperament for a 20-year-old.

His stroke-making goes from strength to strength and there is a genuine quality to his attacking play.

"The players are on top of the world at the moment and everyone is fighting tooth and nail for each other," said Bairstow.

"At the start of the season people were doubting whether a young side would be able to pull through and whether we'd have the experience to do well in the First Division. But I think we've proved over the summer we've got the patience, desire and hunger to win games.

"We're playing without fear and the atmosphere in the dressing room is really terrific."

Yorkshire return to Twenty20 Cup action tonight against Lancashire at Old Trafford (5.40pm start).

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Jonathan Bairstow

Helped Yorkshire home with a superb knock of 64 from 61 balls.