da dobrowin： The complete wash-out of the first two days deemed that bonus points would bethe only realistic aim for both sides and it was Yorkshire that proved themost successful, taking the full quota of eight points
Paul Hiscock19-May-2001The complete wash-out of the first two days deemed that bonus points would bethe only realistic aim for both sides and it was Yorkshire that proved themost successful, taking the full quota of eight points.They added the necessary 24 runs in the morning session in 13 overs tocollect their fifth batting point before declaring and when Paul Prichardwent to the first ball in the Essex reply, the visitors may have held hopesof an improbable victory.Two further wickets fell inside 20 overs before Stuart Law and Ronnie Iranibegan to repair the damage with a fourth wicket partnership of 75 runs.Law played a typically forceful innings, taking four boundaries in one overfrom Paul Hutchison and he eased to his half-century having faced 75deliveries and struck eight boundaries.But with his score on 53, he was caught behind the wicket off the bowling ofmedium-pacer Gary Fellows who produced a scintillating spell of 3-0 in 11deliveries.Irani was next to go, trapped leg before wicket for 34 and then GrahamNapier, still to get off the mark, top-edged an intended drive to slip tocomplete Fellows trio of quick wickets.With the score 134-6, Essex were facing the follow-on but Stephen Petersemerged to form the bedrock of two useful partnerships. Firstly, he added 32with Barry Hyam, who made 17, and then with Ricky Anderson who swunglustily for 21 before he was bowled by Ian Fisher.Paul Hutchison returned to have Ashley Cowan caught for a duck but Petersresisted stoutly and found a further ally in No 11 Mark Ilott.The combination added 38 runs and were just one run short of achieving asecond batting point for their side when Ilott cllpped Darren Lehmann tomid-wicket to leave Peters stranded on 49 not out.Yorkshire take 12 points and Essex eight points from the drawn match.