Gibson efforts put Tykes on brink

County Championship D1, The Riverside: Durham 481 v Yorkshire 393 & 218-9 (day three, stumps)

Scorecard

Ottis Gibson starred with bat and ball for Durham to put leaders Yorkshire in danger of their first defeat.

Durham resumed on 393-4 but soon lost Phil Mustard (59) and Dale Benkenstein (64) but Gibson hit two sixes in his brisk 71 to help them total 481.

That gave them a lead of 88 and Gibson (3-63) and Graham Onions (4-53) soon left the hosts in disarray on 17-3.

Anthony McGrath (62) put on 87 with Jacques Rudolph (79) but Yorkshire were only 130 ahead at stumps on 218-9.

That should not prove insurmountable for Durham and if they clinch victory, they will owe a great deal to Gibson.

He hammered Darren Gough and Adil Rashid high over mid-wicket for maximums and produced steep bounce to have Joe Sayers caught behind.

Either side of that Onions nipped the ball back to bowl Craig White and Younis Khan but South African Rudolph followed his first-innings century with a battling knock and McGrath ended his lean run in the Championship.

Last-wicket pair Jason Gillespie and Deon Kruis survived the last nine overs to add 19 and their county will hope they can eke out some more on Saturday.