For the second time in his fledgling first-class career, Michael Richardson demonstrated a liking for the Yorkshire bowling attack, in the process steering Durham into an apparently impregnable position in this collision of the County Championship’s top two sides.
The South African-born wicketkeeper-batsman made his championship debut against the White Rose at Headingley two years ago, scoring 140 runs in the match, including an unbeaten 73 that, until Thursday, represented his highest first-class score.
Since then Richardson has been something of a bit player, his 17 first-class appearances yielding 568 runs at an average of 22.72. But once again the whiff of battle against the Yorkies brought out the best in him.
He started the day with just three to his name and probably expecting to play second fiddle to his captain Paul Collingwood who, 74 not out overnight, looked well placed to become the third Durham batsman to reach three figures. Instead, Collingwood fell early, judged leg before as he shaped to turn a short delivery from Ryan Sidebottom to leg after adding only seven.
That nevertheless left Durham on a healthy 414 for seven and any hopes of Yorkshire wrapping up the innings in short order were dashed by Richardson, aided and abetted on an easy-paced surface by Mark Wood and Jamie Harrison.
After surviving a confident lbw shout against Adil Rashid on 29, Richardson reached his fifty from 80 balls with seven fours, on the way losing Wood, caught at cover after an eighth-wicket stand of 49 in 31 overs.
There was to be no let-up for Yorkshire, however. Once again, Sidebottom apart, their bowlers struggled for consistency and Richardson and Harrison were in no mood to let them go unpunished. They had added 84 in 22 overs when, with Yorkshire looking increasingly impotent, Harrison was run out at the bowler’s end for a career-best 35 by a direct hit from wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
Richardson was 77 at that stage but soon moved into the nineties with a six over long on off Kane Williamson and repeated the stroke to reach his century from 141 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. He fell three balls later, well caught by Gary Ballance at deep mid-on as he went for a third big hit.
A Durham total of 573 was, however, not what the majority of another 5,500-plus crowd would have had in mind at the start of the match and their mood was not improved by the early loss of Adam Lyth, superbly caught at third slip by Ben Stokes as he aimed an extravagant drive at Chris Rushworth.
Yorkshire were still 555 in arrears at that stage but Phil Jaques and Willamson began the long haul to safety confidently enough, adding 54 in 13 overs before Scott Borthwick’s leg-spin deceived Jaques by some extra bounce and he was caught at short leg off bat-pad.
When Andrew Gale was trapped leg before by Harrison nine overs later, Yorkshire were 107 for three and on the back foot. Steady nerves were required and they were provided by Williamson and Bairstow.
New Zealand all-rounder Williamson, a late overseas recruit as cover for the possible absence of Bairstow and Ballance on international duty, had been dismissed for a golden duck in his only previous championship innings. However, once that ignominy had been avoided, he slipped into the groove, reaching a chanceless half-century from 81 balls with nine fours and by the close he and Bairstow had added 75 in 45 overs. Yorkshire are still the little matter of 242 away from avoiding the follow-on.
“The call from Colly was to push the follow-on target as high as possible,” said Richardson. “It’s going to be hard work to bowl pressure because the pitch is flat and the outfield fast. But things would change very quickly if we could get rid of Williamson and Bairstow early.”
