Essex tailenders frustrate Yorkshire to salvage Championship draw at Chelmsford
Essex completed a remarkable rearguard action to salvage a draw in their Rothesay County Championship match with Yorkshire, closing with an unbroken last-wicket stand that lasted 13.4 overs.
Jonny Bairstow's side started the day with an insurmountable lead and six wickets to take but fell one short at Chelmsford, frustrated by some doggedly determined batting.
Matt Critchley (75 off 246 balls) and Michael Pepper (68 off 229) occupied the crease for a combined total of almost 10 hours to lead the resistance before both fell to George Hill.
Yorkshire kept pushing for a much-needed Division One win, leaving the hosts nine down with just under 40 minutes remaining, but Simon Harmer chewed through 115 deliveries and number 11 Jamie Porter kept him company until the close.
At Hove, out-of-favour England seamer Ollie Robinson put the finishing touches to Sussex's victory over Worcestershire, with Jake Libby's one-man show ultimately in vain.
Both sides entered the final day of the match with realistic hopes of winning – the Pears needing 244 runs and the hosts chasing seven wickets.
Libby was outstanding, turning his overnight 64 into 167, but the game slipped through Worcestershire's fingers when he was eighth man out to Fynn Hudson-Prentice with 75 still required.
Robinson, who played his last Test 16 months ago but has expressed his desire to earn another chance, then picked off Fateh Singh and Ben Gibbon to seal a 47-run win.
The result lifted Sussex to third in the table, while Worcestershire remain winless in bottom spot.
Another England discard, Ben Foakes, ensured defending champions Surrey left Edgbaston with a share of the spoils.
In a run-fest against Warwickshire, the wicketkeeper made 174 not out to dash the home side's hopes of forcing a result. His diligent batting with the tail, something the national selectors felt he did not always do well enough, carried the Brown Caps to 504 all out, 161 behind but entirely safe.
The pretence of a follow-on was initiated for five overs before the sides shook hands.
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