Ballance century spearheads strong day for Yorkshire

Yorkshire 313/6 declared after 89.1 overs, Ballance 103 (retired), Gale 64 (retired), Bailey 2-21

A superb century from Gary Ballance has put Yorkshire in a commanding position in their two-day friendly game against rivals Lancashire at the ICC Academy Grounds.

Lancashire were put to task by the County Champions in their opening tour fixture in Dubai, after a terrific innings by Ballance, who shared a determined partnership worth 127 runs with Alex Lees (49). He then added a further 85 runs with skipper Andrew Gale, consolidating a sturdy platform into a hard-fought day for the Lancashire fielders.

The tour began perfectly for Lancashire when Tom Bailey (2-21) had Adam Lyth trapped lbw with the very first ball of the game, but this glimmer of success was to be the only joy for the Red Rose in the morning session.

Bailey also made a crucial breakthrough after lunch, removing Lees before he could make fifty, forcing him to edge behind to Alex Davies with the score at 127/1.

Lyth's dismissal was welcomed by Lancashire, with the opening batsman vying to prove his credentials to the England selectors, but it was another England exile who would hurt Ashley Giles' side.

Ballance and Lees added 110 runs for the first wicket before lunch, reversing the strong start made by Bailey and ultimately giving Yorkshire the upper hand by close of play.

Lancashire, captained by Karl Brown in the absence of Steven Croft, welcomed the return of Tom Smith, who was out for the majority of last season with a persistent back injury.

Ballance accumulated boundaries at regular intervals, progressing to his half-century in 80 balls. He then moved to an impressive ton in 188 balls, scoring 18 fours in the process.

Ballance retired immediately after reaching three figures, with Jack Leaning coming in to bat just before the tea interval. Leaning became the third Yorkshire batsman to retire when he had progressed to 35 from 62 balls, with Tim Bresnan enjoying a late rally in the evening session alongside Andrew Hodd (6*).

As Ballance was approaching his century, Gale fired his way to a brisk half-century in 67 deliveries, with five boundaries and one six. Skipper Gale then retired on 64 from 96 deliveries, before Leaning and Bresnan added another 49 runs.

Bresnan made 46 before he fell to Liam Livingstone (1-22), picking out Arron Lilley on the boundary to signal close of play in Dubai, with Yorkshire declaring on 313/6.

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