Ben Foakes and Rikki Clarke struck unbeaten half-centuries to drag Marylebone Cricket Club out of danger and into a first-innings lead after Yorkshire had taken control on day two of the Champion County clash in Abu Dhabi.
MCC lost three wickets for just 11 runs shortly after lunch and were struggling on 151 for six in reply to the White Rose’s 275 when Foakes and Clarke joined forces.
But Foakes and Clarke, with 83 and 56 respectively, frustrated Yorkshire with an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 131 to take MCC to 282 for six, a first-innings advantage of seven, when bad light brought the close.
Yorkshire thought they had dismissed Foakes on 17 with the score on 152 when Neil Mallender gave him out lbw to Steven Patterson, only for the umpire to reverse his decision after speaking to colleague David Millns having missed an inside edge.
Ian Bell, who saw fellow England international Gary Ballance rack up a century yesterday, was forced to lead a recovery after MCC slipped to 14 for two.
Nick Browne picked out Will Rhodes at square-leg off Tim Bresnan and nightwatchman James Harris, having survived a Jack Brooks over last night, chipped Patterson to short cover.
But Bell and Rory Burns, with 51, helped MCC fight back with a patient third-wicket stand of 89 in 25.5 overs.
Bresnan brought Yorkshire back into the game by removing Burns and Samit Patel, either side of Bell departing to Karl Carver for 44, as MCC suffered a mini collapse.
Tom Westley then edged behind off Patterson before Foakes, making the most of his let-off, and Clarke led a brilliant recovery to move MCC ahead.
Source: ECB