Yorkshire promoted and Lancashire down in dramatic finale

They completely dominated their Vitality County Championship Division Two clash with Northamptonshire, and achieved the six bonus points they needed to go up by Saturday evening.

It meant a win was not necessary, so instead, all eyes were on James Wharton, who produced an extraordinary innings.

He scored a mammoth 285, which was the fourth-highest individual score in history at Headingley, after Darren Lehmann, Sir Donald Bradman and John Edrich.

Wharton almost joined that trio in making a triple-century, only to be caught at long-on by Justin Broad off the bowling of Fateh Singh.

By then, in no small part helped by opener Adam Lyth’s 147, Yorkshire were 586-4, with Jonny Bairstow (78) and Will Luxton (49) also contributing.

All three of those batsmen were involved in century stands with Wharton.

Northamptonshire’s pain was not even over after all of those batsmen had been dismissed, as Jordan Thompson (56 not out) and George Hill (54no) put on an unbroken 80 for the eighth wicket.

George Hill's unbeaten half-century piled on the agony for Northamptonshire. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

It meant Yorkshire finally declared on 726-7, which marked the highest innings total ever recorded at Headingley.

The declaration gave Yorkshire 13 overs to bowl before the end of the match, and Matt Fisher took the only two wickets to fall in Northamptonshire’s second innings of 71-2, as he left the club on a high.

Fisher has been part of the Yorkshire first team for over a decade, and he has provided a fitting farewell, excelling with the new ball over the last few weeks alongside Ben Coad.

The pair have been integral to Yorkshire earning promotion alongside champions Sussex, and they were key once again against Northamptonshire, claiming seven wickets between them in the first innings.

Given Yorkshire’s gluttony with the bat, it was hard to believe that the visitors were bundled out for just 147 on Friday and Saturday.

Adam Lyth scored 147 for Yorkshire this week, the same total as Northamptonshire were bowled out for in their first innings. (Image: SWpix.com)

The opening day on Thursday was washed out, leaving home fans twitchy over the prospect of being pipped to promotion by Middlesex.

But their game down in Hove against Sussex saw no play over the first two days due to rain, significantly reducing any hope they had of going up.

Conversely, Yorkshire made hay on a truncated second day at Headingley, Coad taking three wickets to reduce Northants to 117-6 at close of play.

That secured the hosts two bowling bonus points, meaning they only needed the eight guaranteed for a draw to secure promotion.

And not only did Coad (4-51) and Fisher (3-46) quickly wrap up the visitors’ first innings on day three, securing the third bowling point, but it was also a day of struggle with the bat for Middlesex at Hove.

They were bowled out for 271, meaning they only achieved one batting bonus point out of a possible five.

That suddenly reduced Yorkshire’s required points from the game from 10 to six, meaning a score of 350 or more in their first innings would secure three batting bonus points and promotion, regardless of the result.

Yorkshire achieved that and then some, with it somewhat fitting that two rising stars, 23-year-old Wharton from Huddersfield and 21-year-old Luxton from Keighley, were at the crease when that total of 350 was reached on Saturday evening.

There will be no Roses matches in Division One next year though, as Lancashire’s relegation was confirmed around an hour before Yorkshire secured promotion on Saturday.