After surviving seven overs last night, Yorkshire resumed at 0-17 but were soon on the backfoot in the morning session after Durham paceman Chris Rushworth snared the wickets of Lyth (9) and Jaques (0) in the fifth over of the day to leave Yorkshire at 23-2.
The target of 336 looked a long way off until young opener Joe Root and Captain Gale combined for an 80-run stand to put the visitors back in the match at 3-103 before Keaton Jennings struck minutes before the lunch break, dismissing Gale for 39 and giving the home-side a much needed breakthrough.
After the break Root continued on his way with the Durham attack struggling against the opener who was showing poise beyond his 22 years.
Durham had their chance to dismiss Root on 87 after he scampered back to his crease after a direct hit by Stoneman sparked a mass appeal by the home-side. The hit was judged not out by the umpire however despite the strong appeal.
Root made the most of his luck and brought up his century off 180 balls only a couple of overs later and was finding the gaps regularly and with the help of the Yorkshire middle order the runs continued to come off the required total for the visitors.
After the tea break it was Ben Stokes who struck to give Durham their 4th wicket dismissing Bairstow. With Yorkshire 4-162 it looked as though the match could go either way but with the in-touch Root at the crease the odds slightly went in Yorkshire’s favour.
Despite Durham’s variation of bowling options, Root continued to torment the Durham bowlers and combined with Balance (72 run partnership) and Rashid (101 run partnership ) to pass 150 and make his way to a mammoth 182 total which lasted 375 minutes and included 22 boundaries and ended in final stages of the match after Thorp took out his stumps.
Rashid, who also knocked up a half century was left at the crease to finish the job with Bresnan who scored the winning runs giving Yorkshire the match with 6 overs to spare and pulling off the fourth highest successful run chase in their history.
Post match Durham Captain Paul Collingwood spoke about his bold declaration and admitted the pitch took him by surprise but did not take anything away from the cricket displayed by Yorkshire.
“We pretty much dominated the match and one thing I have learnt as Captain is the declarations and trying to understand this pitch.
“If you look at the aggregate scores, statistics and wickets on this pitch this wicket shouldn’t have got as flat as it did and unfortunately for us it did.
“If I knew the wicket was going to be that flat I wouldn’t have declared when I did but full credit must go to Yorkshire, it was a great innings from Root.
“I think it is so impressive how a young lad can play an innings like that. We threw everything at him and he came through.
“I have got no qualms about the decision on the run out, it was probably too close to call”.
Durham have just the one day turn around with their next match on the road starting Monday April 29th at Trent Bridge.
Full Scorecard available here