Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the County Championship...
Fixture: Northamptonshire v Yorkshire
Venue: County Ground, Northampton
Dates: Sunday, July 4, 2021 - Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Start time: 11am
What's the lowdown?
Northamptonshire are currently third in Group 3, just 12 points off Yorkshire in second position and a further four points behind table-toppers Lancashire.
Adam Rossington's side have won three, drawn three, and lost two of their eight matches to date, and are currently unbeaten in four red-ball outings. Yorkshire, meanwhile, have won four, drawn three and lost one of their matches - their only defeat coming in the Roses match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.
In the reverse fixture, Yorkshire triumphed by one run on home soil.
Who's in form?
Ricardo Vasconcelos is Northants' leading run-scorer with 626 runs, including two centuries and one fifty to his name in 2021. The South African-born opener is one of only seven players to pass 600 red-ball runs for the season and averages 56.90. Rob Keogh has also looked in good touch with the bat, passing 50 on four occasions and converting two of those knocks into hundreds in 12 innings.
With the ball, Ben Sanderson and Gareth Berg are the runaway leaders, taking 26 and 23 wicket apiece. Berg, in particular, has impressed and currently has an average of 23.95 - a figure only Simon Kerrigan (among players who have bowled more than 20 overs) can better.
For Yorkshire, Adam Lyth is once again at the top of the batting charts with 629 runs at an average of 60.3. Young Harry Brook also showed promise earlier in the season, scoring 456 runs, Harry Duke has two fifties - including one in the Roses match - in four innings, and Dom Bess, better known for his bowling, has an impressive 290 runs from the middle-order.
Jordan Thompson (24 wickets) and Steven Patterson (23) lead Yorkshire's wicket standings but Ben Coad has arguably been the pick of the bowlers, amassing 18 wickets at an average of 21.83 in just eight innings.
Last five first-class matches (most recent first)
Northamptonshire: DWDWL
Yorkshire: WLDDW
Head-to-head first-class record
Total matches: 143
Northamptonshire wins: 26
Yorkshire wins: 42
Draws: 49
Abandoned: 2
What's the team news?
With regular operator behind the stumps Adam Rossington out with injury, Ricardo Vasconcelos dons the gloves for the hosts and assume captaincy.
Northamptonshire: Ricardo Vasconcelos, Gareth Berg, Nathan Buck, Ben Curran, Emilio Gay, Brandon Glover, Rob Keogh, Simon Kerrigan, Wayne Parnell, Luke Procter, Ben Sanderson, Tom Taylor, Charlie Thirston.
Sam Northeast will likely make his debut in the top order after transferring from Hampshire. The Yorkshire team remain without five players who are still on England duty.
Yorkshire: Gary Ballance, Dom Bess, Harry Brook, Ben Coad, Harry Duke, George Hill, Dom Leech, Adam Lyth, Sam Northeast, Duanne Olivier, Steve Patterson, Jordan Thompson
Latest Northamptonshire news: Click here
Latest Yorkshire news: Click here
Who's said what?
Adam Lyth, the Yorkshire opener, discussed the ramifications of his side's next two results, with the clash tomorrow coming between the teams in second and third. "They are two very important games, but we just have to take [it] one day at a time,” Lyth told the Yorkshire website. “It’s gone really well for me in red ball this season, and I’m looking forward to getting going again", he added, as he responded to the added responsibility he has with Dawid Malan unavailable.
What's the weather forecast?
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Northampton: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: Northamptonshire will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here
All County Championship matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every County Championship match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Going to the game?
Tickets: Tickets are available for this fixture.
Click here for the Northamptonshire ticket office.
Travel:
Address: The County Ground, Abington Ave, Northampton NN1 4PR
By car: Take Junction 15 from the M1 Motorway onto the A508 (A45) towards Northampton.
Follow the dual carriageway for approximately 3 miles passing the Hilton Hotel, Marriott Hotel and Delapre Golf course on your left-hand side.
Keeping in the left-hand lane, take the next exit from the dual carriageway marked A428 Bedford and Town Centre.
Move into the middle lane as you approach the roundabout at the bottom of the slip road.
Take the second exit following signs for Abington / Kingsthorpe onto the Rushmere Road. Follow the Rushmere Road (A5095) across the junction with Billing Road and continue straight on through Abington Park to the traffic lights at the main junction with Wellingborough Road.
On foot
ENTRANCE VIA ABINGTON AVENUE
Cross the lights at the junction with the Wellingborough Road keeping in the left-hand lane.
Turn left at the traffic light filter into Abington Avenue.
The cricket ground entrance is approximately 300 yards along Abington Avenue on the left-hand side.
ENTRANCE VIA WANTAGE ROAD
Turn left at the traffic lights with the Wellingborough Road onto the Wellingborough Road itself.
Take the first right approximately 100 yards along into Wantage Road.
The entrance is approximately 500 yards along the Wantage Road on the right-hand side.
By bus: Buses are available from Northampton Bus Station every 10 minutes. The best services are either 1 or 16 – both head towards Weston Favell.
The bus stop is located by the Abington Public House, 30 seconds from the Wantage Road gates. The bus journey takes roughly seven minutes.
By train: Northampton Station sits on the halfway point of the London to Birmingham Line and enjoys frequent and speedy services to both cities.
Northampton Train Station is approximately a 30–40 minute walk from the County Ground.
Alternatively, there is a taxi rank outside the train station, the ground and is a five-minute drive.
Prediction?
If the weather holds, Yorkshire should take this; if not, a draw.
Group 1
Group 2
Gloucestershire v Middlesex
Group 3
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