McGrath makes most of chance

Yorkshire moved into a winning position on the second day of their LV= County Championship match against Leicestershire at Scarborough.

Anthony McGrath, only in the side because of the abrupt parting of the ways with Ajmal Shahzad, played a major role on Thursday.

The 36-year-old all-rounder scored a valuable 90 as Yorkshire reached 447 and he then involved himself in the destruction of the visitors for 116 with four wickets for 21 runs.

Following on 331 runs in arrears with two overs remaining, Leicestershire lost Greg Smith lbw to Steve Patterson for three off the final ball of the day.

Yorkshire were already well placed when they began another bitterly cold day on 329 for five with Jonny Bairstow on 141 and McGrath on 49. Although McGrath soon completed a faultless half-century it was Bairstow who called the shots, taking three boundaries in an over off Nadeem Malik with stunning drives.

Progress was not sufficiently swift, however, to gain a fifth batting bonus point and Yorkshire were 375 for five at the 110-overs stage, the 159 stand ending soon afterwards as Bairstow slapped Wayne White to Jacques du Toit at cover to depart for a dazzling 182 off 259 balls with 19 fours and four sixes.

Tim Bresnan was soon run out by a direct hit on the stumps from White on the third-man boundary but McGrath suddenly opened up by straight-driving Claude Henderson for six.

Adil Rashid was bowled by White just before lunch and McGrath's bid for a century ended soon after the interval when he pushed forward at Henderson and was caught behind, his runs coming off 194 deliveries with 10 fours and a six.

Ryan Sidebottom contributed a useful 20 before falling to White who was easily Leicestershire's most successful bowler with five for 90.

And it was Sidebottom who was responsible for starting the Leicestershire slide by picking up the first two wickets as three went down in the space of 30 balls with the score on 12. Matt Boyce had still not got off the mark when he fell lbw to Sidebottom who then had Du Toit caught behind, also without scoring, and Patterson accounted for Smith, his edge being taken in front of first slip by Bairstow.

McGrath was introduced at 33 for three and after Ramnaresh Sarwan had come perilously close to lbw off his first ball he could not survive the second which also thudded into his pads. The same bowler struck further blows either side of tea, Ned Eckersley being lbw to one which nipped back and Josh Cobb caught by Bairstow attempting to drive back over McGrath's head.

Leicestershire had collapsed to 64 for six and it became 68 for eight with two further wickets for Patterson, White pinned lbw and Rob Joseph providing Bairstow with his fourth catch.

Henderson and Malik survived several anxious moments while pushing the score into three figures but Henderson's edge to Phil Jaques at third slip brought Bresnan his third wicket and then McGrath was recalled to wrap things up by dismissing Alex Wyatt with his second delivery.