County Championship: Gary Ballance shines as Yorkshire beat relegated Worcestershire

Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by seven wickets to end the season in fourth place in the County Championship.

Ben Coad took 4-56 while Steven Patterson had figures of 3-38 as the hosts were dismissed for 221 - Moeen Ali's 67 their best resistance.

Needing 134 to win, Ballance shone with the bat, hitting 60 as Yorkshire reached their target in 30.1 overs.

Ballance's first-innings knock was his biggest this season and his third century since stepping down as Yorkshire captain mid-summer as he was ably supported by Somerset-bound Jack Brooks, who hit 82 as they made 171 for the ninth wicket.

In reply Worcestershire's batsmen struggled. Ali, who hit 11 fours and a six, was the only player in the top six to score more than 21 runs as wickets fell at regular intervals.

Ali's 59-run fourth-wicket stand with Alex Milton was his side's biggest, but when the Worcestershire skipper and England star was caught and bowled by Patterson it triggered a collapse as his side went from 122-4 to 132-7 - Ed Barnard going for a duck and Ben Twohig for one as Coad took both of their wickets.

Wayne Parnell proved a stubborn obstacle for Yorkshire's bowlers as he hit an unbeaten 58, but he was the only player in the bottom five of the batting order to get into double figures.

Yorkshire, who still needed a couple of points before the game to ensure they did get relegated to Division Two, were guided home by Ballance.

Coming to the crease with the score at 47-2 the England man hit 10 fours as he and Jack Leaning (22*) put on 77 for the third wicket as Ballance showed the selectors credentials to try and get his first call-up since June last year.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire paceman Josh Tongue has been named in the England Lions squad for their one-off Test against Pakistan A in Abu Dhabi in November.

His inclusion, however, is subject to him proving his fitness after sustaining a foot injury in Yorkshire's first innings.

Pears head coach Kevin Sharp told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"It is always disappointing when you finish bottom of the table. It's not what you want. It's not what you plan for. But, for much of this season, we've competed well. There's only been a couple of times we've been blown away

"But when we have got into a position to take advantage in a match, there are a number of times when we just haven't been to press it home. In Yorkshire's first innings, they were 220-8 - 120 runs behind - and they finish well in front.

"They are key moments. When we needed to bowl well with the new ball, we probably didn't. And we've dropped some key catches when players have gone onto make big scores. I don't think overall we've been outplayed but we haven't seized the moment enough."

Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale told BBC Radio Leeds:

"Over the last four or five weeks of the season, we had a really strong finish. I just said to the lads that to perform in the way we have done under immense pressure since the defeat by to Worcestershire at Scarborough and the loss to Somerset at Headingley.

"We were massively under the pump and to win the Roses Match under that pressure and then kick on and back it up in the last three weeks, it shows what character, determination, team spirit and togetherness we have got in that dressing room.

"Gary Ballance's return to form has been quite immense at the back end of the year. He had a tough time of it with the captaincy and his own form. To finish in the way he did, and make those match winning contributions, I'm really proud of him."