Thursday 23 July 2015 14:21, UK
Jonny Bairstow celebrated his England Test call-up by smacking 74 not out off just 51 deliveries to propel Yorkshire to victory over Worcestershire.
Set just 157 to win at Scarborough, the champions were wobbling on 44-3. But Bairstow and Alex Lees (58no) rattled off the runs to guide top-of-the-table Tykes to their fifth straight Division One victory.
Worcestershire began the day on 221-6 and lost Joe Leach quickly, drilling Steven Patterson to Liam Plunkett at short cover for 27.
But Ross Whiteley, 65no overnight, was helped to his century by the tail before Ryan Sidebottom’s first ball of the day trapped the all-rounder in front for 101. Then the left-arm seamer bowled Charlie Morris for 11 to finish off Worcestershire for 306.
Lees and Will Rhodes (12) scored 34 quick runs to give the victory chase a strong start, but the latter holed out to Jack Shantry off Saeed Ajmal.
Jack Leaning (4) was the pinned lbw by Morris and Andrew Gale (4) was run out by Tom Fell after a mix-up with Lees.
In strode Bairstow, who is in the form of his life, averaging over 100 in the Championship this season. He scored a century in the first innings, and early in his second dig he smacked Ajmal back over his head for six.
The Pakistan spinner was later dispatched for three successive boundaries as Bairstow brought up his half-century from 39 balls. Bairstow hit the winning runs, and England will be hoping he can take his sensational form to Edgbaston for the third Investec Ashes Test next week.
Tykes coach Jason Gillespie said: “It is a nice position to be in at the top of the table but there is still a lot of cricket to be played and we have six games remaining. We need to make sure we maintain our standards and respect the form we are in even though we are not at our best.
"The race for the Championship is not over yet and we can only control what we do and not what other teams do.”
