Andrew Gale puts wind in Yorkshire sails against Worcestershire

It has often been remarked that there is no finer county ground in England than Scarborough at Festival time and once again it is worthy of its reputation after a £2m makeover that promises an uplifting future to go with a treasured past. Even the seagulls looked as if they had been put through the launderette for the occasion. Humdrum Yorkshire seasons have often taken on new purpose when the county comes to North Marine Road at this time of year. There is always something about cricket at Scarborough that demands new vigour from a footsore Yorkshire side. This year, as the old ground stirs with confidence again, the Scarborough Effect can be more potent than ever. It needs to be. Yorkshire beat Durham in front of a near-capacity crowd in the Friends Life t20 on Sunday to keep alive faint hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals and they had much the best of the first day against Worcestershire in a championship match that has a relegation feel about it. Victory would take them above Worcestershire, who began the game five points ahead with a game in hand. Yorkshire were fancied as championship challengers, Worcestershire were everybody's favourites to finish bottom, yet such a distinction has proved wide of the mark. Yorkshire have failed to mask the loss of Jacques Rudolph and the South African's emergency return as an overseas player for the later stages of the season, beginning with the Roses match later this month, is a pragmatic response to a troubled batting season. He is coming back on a cut-price deal apparently, an overseas player who has an affinity with his county, the only type worth having. Even the thought of Rudolph's return seemed to lift Yorkshire's captain Andrew Gale. It was Gale who fought to defend Yorkshire's advantage, finishing on 68 not out as Yorkshire, on 135 for five, moved within 33 runs of Worcestershire's first innings. Yorkshire started nervily. Joe Root had been run out, backing up, and Adam Lyth's poor season continued when Jack Shantry had him caught at the wicket, but Gale took three boundaries in an over off Gareth Andrew then five in an over from the Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal as he scooted to a half-century in 51 balls. The run out of Richard Pyrah for nought just before the close, was a careless end to the day. The mower blades had been lifted a notch for Tim Bresnan in Scarborough, just as they were for Stuart Broad at Trent Bridge – two England fast bowlers who may be competing for one place in the first Test against India at Lord's, and the chance to bat at No8 ahead of Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett and Jimmy Anderson. Steve Finn cannot be ruled out either on his home ground. Yorkshire, who capped Jonny Bairstow before start of play, reduced Worcestershire to 61 for six by lunch. Bresnan finished with four for 64, but he was right to suggest that he had bowled "alright", nothing more than that. After lunch, he disappeared for 37 in four overs as Gareth Andrew countered. "He came out with a mini-Mongoose," said Bresnan. Ryan Sidebottom fed two victims to a testy mood, much as a man might down a couple of pints with meaning after a tough day (when he was called for five wides he looked as if he might stomp off and sink the miniature fleet in Peasholm Park), but the best spell came from Pyrah who bowled straight, maintained what Bresnan called "a fuller Scarborough length" and comes into his own on old-fashioned, responsive pitches. With better slip catching, in particular from Gary Ballance, who had a bad day, he might have taken five.