Rafiq and Rudolph shine

Jacques Rudolph was in fine form for Yorskshire and his unbeaten 86 helped build a big lead on day three

Teenage off-spinner Azeem Rafiq captured a wicket with his fourth ball in first-class cricket and went on to return figures of 3-34 before Jacques Rudolph hit an unbeaten 86 to put Yorkshire in charge on the third day of the LV= County Championship match against Sussex at Headingley Carnegie.

The 18-year-old helped to dismiss Sussex for 217 to give Yorkshire a slender first-innings lead of eight runs which they had extended to 160 by the close when they were 152 for two with Rudolph dominating proceedings.

Most of Sussex’s batsmen struggled apart from Ed Joyce who patiently compiled a flawless unbeaten century after coming in at the fall of the first wicket early in the innings.

Rafiq’s introduction to the attack came at 144 for six when Joyce and Robin Martin-Jenkins were staging a Sussex recovery.

He was immediately off-driven for four by Martin-Jenkins who later in the over shaped to pull a short ball which kept low and the Yorkshire player bowled him for 33 to end the seventh-wicket partnership of 56.

In his third over, Rafiq struck again by having Ollie Rayner scooped up at short leg off bat and pad by Andrew Gale and his third wicket came when Gale reacted quickly to hold on to a catch off the middle of the bat from Corey Collymore.

Joyce had by now moved quietly on to 89 and he made his way slowly through the 90s with last man, Jason Lewry, keeping him company until the Dubliner stabbed a single off Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to complete a thoroughly workmanlike century off 225 deliveries with 10 fours.

Ed Joyce's unbeaten century at brought Sussex close to parity at Headingley

The innings was wrapped up next ball, however, when Lewry was totally deceived by a slower one from Naved.

Sussex had begun the day on 78 for three and only Joyce and later, Martin-Jenkins, were able to come to terms with some fine seam and swing bowling from Deon Kruis and Tim Bresnan which quickly reduced them to 94 for six.

Yorkshire were left with 12 overs to bat up to tea and Rudolph and Joe Sayers had moved the score on steadily to 26 without loss by the interval but after the break Rudolph cut loose with some crisp strokes which galloped him to his half-century from 78 balls with eight boundaries.

Sayers’ first boundary came after 57 balls to take him to 15 but it was his last scoring stroke because Collymore then trapped him lbw and Yorkshire were 67 for one.

The brisker tempo was maintained by Michael Vaughan who soon allayed fears of bagging a pair and went on to strike off-spinner Rayner for two legside sixes in three balls, the second one bringing up the 100.

The second-wicket pair had put on 83 in 17 overs when Vaughan cut Dwayne Smith to backward point where he was well caught by Prior for 39 from 55 balls with two fours and two sixes.

Rudolph remained very much in charge and at the close he had received 139 balls and stroked a dozen fours.