Gillespie starts county title defence with win

Jason Gillespie had a dream start to his fourth season at the helm of Yorkshire after the defending county Division One champions pulled off a remarkable turnaround to defeat Worcestershire by 10 wickets.

The former Test paceman was unveiled as Adelaide Strikers’ new coach this morning but overnight Gillespie’s focus was  firmly on his Yorkshire duties, as his team claimed their first points of the season inside three days.

Quick single: Gillespie confirmed as Strikers' coach

Yorkshire resumed on the third day at 9-298 chasing Worcestershire’s first innings total of 311 but managed only nine more runs before losing Tim Bresnan for 83 to be all out for 307.

Without Bresnan’s contribution the deficit may have been even greater. On day two, Yorkshire were in trouble at 7-193, 118 runs shy of Worcestershire’s total before Bresnan and seam bowler Jack Brooks combined for 81 for the eighth wicket to lift the visitors out of the mire.

Brooks then tore through Worcestershire’s top order with 4-28, and when fellow paceman Steven Patterson finished off the tail with 5-11 to claim his best first-class figures, the home team was skittled for 100.

Yorkshire skipper Alex Lees and opening partner Will Rhodes then chased the required 105 for victory in just 17 overs.

Image Id: ~/media/692E7DDAABBA4C83A92E934E6B9025B4Alex Lees bats for Yorkshire // Getty Images

"It is one of the best wins I have ever been involved in,” Gillespie told the BBC.

"I was pleased with the way we bowled in the first innings, there were just little periods where we let them off the hook, but in the second innings Jack Brooks was fantastic."

In other Division One action, Ashes squad member and Middlesex captain Adam Voges will hope his team can hang on for a draw against Nottinghamshire.

With one day remaining, Middlesex – who revealed Queensland batsman Joe Burns will replace Voges at the Lord’s-based club from next month – trial by 461 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Quick single: Burns to replace Voges at Middlesex

In Taunton, Durham wrapped up a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over a Somerset side featuring South Australia batsman Tom Cooper.

Victoria bowler John Hastings picked up one wicket as Durham dismissed the hosts for 230, before his team chased down 150 in 32.3 overs.

Image Id: ~/media/3358C7730E084D3A99ACCE4E9BC87BFFDurham's Scott Borthwick is congratulated by Alex Barrow // Getty Images

In Division Two, Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove was dismissed for 33 as his team was dismissed for 435 in reply to Glamorgan’s mountainous 513.

At stumps on day three, Glamorgan – who are without injured Western Australian Michael Hogan – lead by 125 runs with seven wickets and one day of play remaining.

In Northampton, a Gloucestershire side featuring promising young Victorian batsman Peter Handscomb will resume at 0-35 on the final day of their clash with Northamptonshire, needing a further 418 runs to win.

Australians in English county cricket

• Derbyshire: Nathan Rimmington (T20 only)
• Durham: John Hastings
• Essex: Shaun Tait (T20 only)
• Glamorgan: Michael Hogan
• Gloucestershire: Michael Klinger, Peter Handscomb
• Hampshire: Jackson Bird
• Lancashire: James Faulkner
• Leicestershire: Mark Cosgrove, Clint McKay
• Middlesex: Adam Voges, Joe Burns
• Nottinghamshire: Ben Hilfenhaus
• Somerset: Tom Cooper
• Sussex: Steve Magoffin
• Yorkshire: Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell (T20 only)