HEADINGLEY CARNEGIE

(day one of four; Hampshire won toss)

Yorkshire are 270 for six

Lunch

The season has not started well for Michael Vaughan. Following his scores of 0 and 2 against Bradford/Leeds UCCE last week, the England captain has fallen for just 19 here this morning. He was looking in good touch, having just hit Shane Bond for three fours in four balls, when he drove outside off stump and edged to third slip, where Greg Lamb took a sharp catch in front of his face.

Play had begun at 12.15 after a morning of steady drizzle. Beneath trademark slate-grey Headingley skies, the juice in the pitch persuaded Hampshire to bowl first, but Chris Tremlett was unable to find his line bowling up the hill. Bond, however, after taking seven for 66 on his Hampshire debut against Sussex last week, was quickly into his stride. He had Vaughan dropped from a difficult chance to short leg, but got his man in his sixth over, just before lunch.

Tea

For the second consecutive session, Yorkshire have lost a wicket just before the break when they seemed to be making good progress. Jacques Rudolph, who had added 109 for the fourth wicket with Andrew Gale, edged to slip from the off-spin of Greg Lamb for 59.

The sun has come out this afternoon, drying the pitch and making batting a more appealing prospect. Anthony McGrath edged onto his stumps from the accurate Dimitri Mascarenhas, but Rudolph and Gale played freely for much of the afternoon session. With Gale in fluent form on 62 not out, Yorkshire need another decent stand now to bolster their position.

Close

Andrew Gale’s innings of 99 not out has revived Yorkshire from 54 for three to a relatively healthy position. The 24-year-old left-hander, whose highest score in five matches last season was 51, shared stands of 109 with Jacques Rudolph (59) and Gerard Brophy (40).

There was never an air of permanence about Gale’s batting, but he took scoring opportunities when they came along. On a slow pitch, he pulled anything short mercilessly and had hit 14 boundaries from 187 balls by the close. Tomorrow, after a restless night’s sleep, he will hope to complete only his second first-class hundred.

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