County Championship: Lyth leads Yorks to draw v Glamorgan

Adam Lyth signed a three-year contract extension with Yorkshire in 2022

Yorkshire captain Adam Lyth led his side to safety as they held on despite some late nerves to reach 412-9 against Glamorgan.

Set a nominal 492 to win, Yorkshire did not look under pressure until the final session as Lyth shared a third-wicket stand of 138 with George Hill (60).

But wickets for James Harris (3-87) and Jamie McIlroy (2-57) kept Glamorgan hopes alive until the last ball.

Timm van der Gugten took 4-72 including Jonny Bairstow for a duck.

Jordan Thompson (55 not out) and Mickey Edwards (13) batted out seven overs in a tense finale, before Thompson played out the last over from Michael Neser.

Glamorgan were left to rue dropping Lyth twice on their way to a fourth straight draw.

The Welsh side dominated most of the first three days and turned in an improved bowling performance in their attempt to force victory against a Yorkshire side without a Championship win since April 2022.

Lyth finished with 24 fours and three sixes in his commanding knock lasting 220 deliveries, his best score on the ground.

In sunny conditions and with the wicket flattening out, Lyth and Finlay Bean almost got through the first session unscathed, though Lyth gave a return chance to James Harris on 48.

But the cautious Bean was trapped lbw by Van der Gugten for 21 with the ball before lunch.

Bairstow, who had batted at seven in the first innings, came out at number three after the interval in his first senior match in eight months, but did not have time to settle before he edged Van der Gugten to Marnus Labuschagne.

Lyth was dropped by Labuschagne off Van der Gugten on 69, but that was the last Yorkshire alarm of the second session as he and George Hill prospered in the sunshine.

Hill, promoted ahead of Saud Shakeel and Dawid Malan, reached his half-century in the course of hitting Labuschagne's first four deliveries to the boundary just before tea.

Glamorgan continued to use their front-line bowlers while Yorkshire showed no sign of trying a late dart at their improbable target, and Hill edged Van der Gugten to wicket-keeper Chris Cooke while Malan fell lbw to former Middlesex team-mate James Harris for 17.

Lyth finally went leg-before to McIlroy and Dom Bess completed a king pair as he fell the same way first ball.

Just as Yorkshire looked to be in sight of safety, Pakistan international Shakeel edged Harris to slip for 35 and Matthew Fisher departed four balls later with eight overs still remaining.

Edwards was eventually bowled by Van der Gugten but Michael Neser's last six balls could not remove Thompson.

Yorkshire captain Adam Lyth told BBC West Yorkshire Sport:

"I feel like I've been hitting the ball well all season, just not kicked on to a big score and I felt I could have won us the (rain-hit) game against Sussex, but today I felt was one of my best knocks for the club.

"It was so important, but Finlay Bean has got to take a lot of credit as we put on 99, and for us to stand any chance of seeing the day out or potentially having a dip at a chase, was down to the opening partnership.

"We sent in Jonny because if there was a sniff at chasing them down, there's only Jonny or Malan who could bat 45 overs and get us in an unbelievable place.

"That didn't work but everyone showed a lot of bravery and skill."

Glamorgan's James Harris told BBC Sport Wales:

"There are a lot of emotions, very happy with the way we played over the last four days but very disappointed we didn't manage to get the win, as one more wickets would have meant a lot.

"We always thought if we did the right things long enough we'd end up close by the end of the day, credit to Adam but we had a couple of chances and if we'd taken them it might have been different.

"The team's tracking in the right direction, Marnus showed what a class act he is, it was brilliant for him to set us up the way he did.

"Fabulous for Michael Neser to bowl like he did in the first innings, Timm's been in great nick all year, Jimmy McIlroy bowled beautifully today, It's been frustrating (to be out of the team) but I'm always searching for my best form and I found some of it in the last session."