Pakistan international puts Yorkshire in peril at Headingley

The Pakistan left-arm spinner claimed five of seven morning wickets as Yorkshire, replying to a first-innings 190, slipped from 80-3 overnight to 183 all out.

In all, 13 wickets fell in a helter-skelter day, with already relegated Gloucestershire’s second innings slipping to 74-5 by late afternoon.

But they recovered either side of tea to close on 204-6 from 60 overs - a lead of 211 - thanks to sixth-wicket pair Ollie Price and belligerent Jack Taylor, who hit contrasting half-centuries and shared a 122-run partnership.

Yorkshire came into this game knowing a maximum of 10 points would seal Division One safety, given they held a 15-point cushion over second-bottom Warwickshire.

They have so far only taken three.

The Bears are facing Hampshire at Edgbaston, where they declared on 272-4.

A win there, with 19 points, and a Yorkshire defeat here would spell disaster for Jonny Tattersall and his troops. Hampshire closed on four without loss down in the West Midlands.

Back up at Headingley, and Gohar struck with his first ball of day two - after a bright and breezy Yorkshire start - on the way to figures of 5-40 from 14 overs.

The county’s leading Championship wicket-taker in 2022 claimed a season’s best haul and took his tally to 43.

He benefitted from Yorkshire’s determination to play out their first innings on the front foot, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore (top scorer with 46), Jordan Thompson and Ben Coad all caught when looking to attack.

That tactic worked for a while. Kohler-Cadmore and captain Tattersall took 32 runs off the first three-and-a-half overs of play, including 15 off one over from Tom Price.

But Gohar, whose solitary Test match appearance came early last year, quickly turned things around.

The 27-year-old is among a rare breed of county overseas players who are available for the majority of the season, if not a full one.

He had Kohler-Cadmore caught at midwicket off a top-edged pull with his first ball making it 121-4 in the 35th over, the eighth full over of the day.

Gohar ran riot thereafter, trapping Harry Duke lbw, having Tattersall pouched at slip for 33, getting Jordan Thompson snaffled in the same position on the drive and tempting Ben Coad into being caught at cover off a miscue.

In between, Dom Bess was strangled off Ajeet Singh Dale’s seam before Steve Patterson flashed Tom Price to brother Ollie at second slip to wrap up the innings.

On his way to the crease at the fall of the ninth wicket (166-9), Patterson received a standing ovation from a crowd becoming increasingly nervous and a guard of honour from a Gloucestershire team becoming increasingly more confident.

Despite losing Chris Dent caught behind off Coad in the opening over of their second innings, the first after lunch, Gloucester’s confidence increased further as they moved to 56-1 through Ben Charlesworth (25) and James Bracey (39).

But the pendulum swung again in the Headingley sunshine, with Bess sparking a collapse of four wickets for 18 inside six overs - 74-5 in the 26th.

Charlesworth was trapped lbw before Bracey offered a return catch.

Coad also returned to get Miles Hammond caught in the gully off the shoulder of the bat before Matthew Fisher had Graeme van Buuren pouched at second slip.

Gloucester reached tea at 110-5, a lead of 117, with shoots of recovery coming from Ollie Price and Taylor.

And those shoots grew in the evening.

Taylor was the more aggressive as they left Yorkshire knowing they will have to chase the highest score of the fixture to win.

And it will be coming under immense pressure while the threat of relegation looms.

He clattered two sixes over long-on off Patterson and Bess before reaching his fifty off 59 balls, with the more understated Price following him to the same milestone shortly afterwards off 120 deliveries.

Taylor miscued a pull off Fisher to short mid-on to fall for an excellent 67, shortly before close came six overs early due to rain. Price ended the day unbeaten on 54.