Trott leads Warwickshire fightback

Jonathan Trott's first century of the 2009 season has given Warwickshire genuine hope of avoiding defeat against Yorkshire

Jonathan Trott resisted Yorkshire’s bid for a first win in 11 months in the LV= County Championship as Division One rivals Warwickshire battled to avoid the follow-on on the third day at Edgbaston.

The England Lions batsman reached an undefeated 140 from 229 balls – his first century of the summer – after setting a new county record for the ninth wicket in a partnership of 181 with New Zealander Jeetan Patel.

Surpassing the 154 made by George Stephens and Alfred Croom against Derbyshire in 1925, they took their side to 422 for eight – now 178 behind - after reversing the flow of a game which Yorkshire had dictated since declaring at 600 for eight.

Having backed Warwickshire into a corner, the visitors were unable to deliver the killer blow as Trott recovered from his uncertain start to the season.

His 13th four, perfectly timed through mid-wicket off Matthew Hoggard, took him to his hundred after facing 173 balls.

Patel’s batting on his Championship debut was a bonus. Making 50 for only the third time, the Kiwi off-spinner hit two sixes off Adil Rashid and added 11 fours in his career best 89 not out from 104 balls.

Set 451 to make Yorkshire bat again, Warwickshire quickly slid into trouble as as the visiting seamers broke their overnight partnership.

Ian Bell was going well on 37 when he dragged a ball from Deon Kruis to wide mid-on and Ian Westwood, in his first Championship match since becoming captain, was lbw to Rana Naved for 41.

From 90 for two when Bell departed, Warwickshire nosedived to 138 for six as Jim Troughton and Tim Ambrose both registered ducks in their first innings since a record-breaking stand of 335 against Hampshire.

Rana followed up Westwood’s dismissal with a first-ball yorker to remove Troughton and a catch behind the wicket to make Ambrose his third victim in the space of seven deliveries without conceding a run.

Ajmal Shahzad piled on the pressure in a lively spell from the Pavilion end. After being hit on the right thumb by a nasty lifter, Rikki Clarke could not deal with a perfect full-length dipping into his middle and leg stumps.

It was only then that Trott found some worthwhile support in the lower order. Neil Carter (32) played confidently against the seamers but was unluckily dismissed when he played forward to Rashid and saw the ball trickle back on to his stumps.

Chris Woakes (30) also made good progress until he was beaten by Rashid’s googly, but from then on Trott and Patel kept Yorkshire at bay.