James Wharton makes 285 in statement innings from newly-promoted Yorkshire

Yorkshire 726 for 7 dec (Wharton 285, Lyth 147, Bairstow 78) drew with Northamptonshire 147 (Bartlett 61, Coad 4-51) and 71 for 2

James Wharton completed a mammoth 285, posting the fifth highest individual first-class score ever at Headingley and the joint-eighth highest in Yorkshire history as their Vitality County Championship clash with Northamptonshire drifted to a final day draw.

England’s Jonny Bairstow also added an aggressive 78 as promoted Yorkshire, who started the day on 371 for two in reply to a first-innings 147, decided to bat on instead of chasing a season-ending sixth victory in seven games.

They declared at tea on 726 for seven, a lead of 579. When the players shook hands at 4.20pm, Northamptonshire were 71 for two in their second innings. Yorkshire claimed 16 points from the draw to Northamptonshire’s nine.

Considering Yorkshire, who posted their second highest first-class total ever and the highest by any team on this ground, had clinched promotion late on day three behind champions Sussex, it was no shock that they opted against exerting their bowlers during the final day of 2024.

That opened the door for Bairstow to post his third 50 plus score in five late-season Division Two appearances, including one century, and for 23-year-old Wharton to write his name into the record books.

Wharton’s 319-ball innings, including 32 fours and 10 sixes, marked a career best score, usurping the 188 he scored in the mid-summer win over Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Darren Lehmann’s 339 against Durham in 2006 remains the highest first-class score at Headingley, while Don Bradman twice and John Edrich both posted triple centuries in Test Matches from 1930 to 1965. Wharton now sits as the best of the rest.

He started the day unbeaten on 162 and completed a third-wicket partnership of 117 with Will Luxton, who was bowled by Jack White’s seam for 49 – 392 for three in the 89th over, the day’s sixth.

He then added 194 with fourth-wicket partner Bairstow – 84 balls, 10 fours and two sixes, through to early afternoon, the pair uniting for just less than 25 overs.

Although fourth-placed Northamptonshire, quite understandably, were not at full tilt with nothing at stake, Wharton and Bairstow royally entertained the spectators who had braved the late September chill.

Visiting captain Luke Procter was off the field managing a back injury.

Much of the morning took place under the Headingley floodlights, and Wharton and Bairstow became increasingly brutal.

At one stage late in the morning, Wharton hit 44 of 45 runs to come off successive overs of seam from James Sales and Gus Miller as Yorkshire moved to 503 for three after 99 overs, a lead of 356.

In that two-over period, Wharton hit six fours and three leg-side sixes. Two of them were pulled. He reached his double hundred in that period, off 272 balls, and went to 250 in only another 17 deliveries.

Some of Bairstow’s striking was particularly fearsome, hitting well on the up through and over the cover region.

A 15-minute delay to the afternoon preceded Wharton’s departure as he holed out at long-on off Fateh Singh’s left-arm spin before Bairstow was bowled by Saif Zaib – also bowling left-arm spin – as Yorkshire fell to 600-5, a lead of 453. Zaib also bowled Jonny Tattersall.

It was harsh on on-loan Nottinghamshire spinner Singh – he plugged away encouragingly in the face of adversity through his first debut – that his haul of three for 193 from 40 overs was the most runs conceded in an English first-class cricket.

His third wicket was that of Dom Bess lbw – 646 for seven – before George Hill and Jordan Thompson took the hosts beyond 700 with 54 and 56 not out respectively.

This was the highest first-class total Northamptonshire have conceded.

Matthew Fisher, on his final day as a Yorkshire player, then claimed two new ball wickets after tea, getting Gus Miller brilliantly caught by a diving Bess at deep midwicket and the other opener Krish Patel caught behind.