NO-ONE  in the home dressing room will be counting chickens but Yorkshire’s batsmen were in charge of their key LV= County Championship game against Middlesex at tea.

Needing 213 to beat James Franklin’s visitors, the hosts reached the interval on a healthy 91-1 with Adam Lyth 48 not out and Gary Ballance unbeaten on 22.

The one wicket to fall was that of Alex Lees, who was trapped leg before by James Franklin in the 15th over when he had made ten. But the England pair batted with increasing confidence as the afternoon session progressed.

At tea, Lyth had made his runs off 99 balls with eight fours and Ballance had hit four fours.