YORKSHIRE will go into next week’s Specsavers County Championship match against Surrey at the Oval just 13 points clear of the relegation zone.

It will be the first of three remaining matches for the White Rose, who drew this week’s clash with Middlesex at Headingley.

That match finished yesterday, with just a session’s play possible on day four after heavy overnight and morning rain left the outfield at the Football Stand End unplayable for much of the day.

A series of inspections throughout the day led to a 3.10pm start with a minimum of 38 overs to be bowled as both sides chased bonus points which could prove crucial in the final reckoning later this month.

Middlesex, replying to Yorkshire’s first-innings 358, advanced from 108-3 overnight to 272-8 declared and had the better of what play possible as Australian Adam Voges finished 65 not out.

Yorkshire took 11 points in all from this match to Middlesex’s 10, and they leapfrog the champions to fifth in the Division One table on the virtue of more wins in the season.

Both teams have 114 points, with second-bottom Somerset are 13 further back having cut the gap significantly by beating Warwickshire and the weather to win their match at Edgbaston.

Surrey in fourth could also be dragged into the battle at the bottom if Yorkshire win next week.

All of this came on the back of a pretty encouraging week for Yorkshire, who posted 300 for the first time in nine completed innings.

Jack Leaning stood out with 85, while wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd hit 51.

Fiery Liam Plunkett impressed from the Football Stand End of the ground yesterday.

He struck twice to reduce the score to 143-5 in the first nine overs of the day, including once with his sixth ball.

He bowled Paul Stirling with one that nip backed significantly for 24 and then had John Simpson caught at second slip with one that bounced a touch more than the left-hander expected.

Ben Coad then had Middlesex captain James Franklin caught at second slip, clinching the second bowling point, as the score fell to 184-6 after 52 overs.

Adil Rashid then had James Harris caught at deep square-leg by Ryan Sidebottom for 19 six overs later, by which time Middlesex had picked up their first batting point for passing 200.

Ollie Rayner hit 37 and shared 66 with Voges before being bowled by Tim Bresnan to end the match as Middlesex declared to prevent Yorkshire from getting a ninth wicket for another point.

Yorkshire will have to do without Plunkett and his England limited overs team-mates Rashid and David Willey for the final three Championship matches due to their upcoming series against the West Indies.

Australian batsman Shaun Marsh plays his last game at Surrey before returning home to Perth, while there is a doubt over the availability of the other opener Adam Lyth, whose wife is yet to give birth to their first child.

Yesterday was the final day spectators could sit in the old Football Stand before the seats are taken out on Monday ahead of the redevelopment.

Yorkshire have revealed that they are donating the seats to league clubs in the county, with Bradford Park Avenue, Bradford and Bingley, Bankfoot, Farnley, Great Preston and Lightcliffe amongst the clubs who have taken up the offer.