Picture by Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket. Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess and Adam Lyth all appeal for the wicket of Hampshire opener Nick Gubbins.
Dom Bess heaped praise on the opening day’s standout bowling pair Kyle Abbott and George Hill as Hampshire and Yorkshire traded blows at the Utilita Bowl.
Abbott returned figures of 4-17 from 18 overs in Yorkshire 173 all out before Hill responded in kind with 3-4 from eight overs in Hampshire’s 60-4.
“Credit to Kyle Abbott,” said Bess, the day’s top-scorer for Yorkshire with 40 not out. “I mean, he probably didn’t miss a 50p for, what was it, 15 overs? Then Hilly, he hasn’t missed a 50p as well.
“Those two have been different class.”
Abbott and Hill bowled 14 maidens between them in bowler-friendly conditions. Yorkshire elected to bat first and were 9-3. They later recovered from 83-7, with Bess sharing a 10th-wicket stand of 53 with Ben Cliff.
In the final reckoning, they could be priceless runs.
“I think people will see it probably as there was a bit of a collapse,” continued Bess. “But I think it was some outstanding bowling. And then we’ve scrapped to a score.
“Frustrating day because ideally you would like to get some batting bonus points. But we’ve fought hard there.”
On the used pitch which took spin, Bess said: “I don’t think the pitch is going to improve at all. I think it’s going to spin.
“I think some are going to shoot quite low. If you can get stump to stump and you can smash away at top of off-stump and sort of not give a lot of width, I think it’s going to be incredibly hard to score.”
The game is currently evenly poised, but a good morning tomorrow will certainly tip it in Yorkshire’s favour.
“One hundred percent,” added Bess. “We could easily have them 60-6 or 70-7. Then it’s a different prospect. If we walk away with a lead, that’s a really positive sign considering where we were in the game.”
