Openers Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Adam Lyth ensured Yorkshire made an impressive return to action on the opening day of their two-day friendly against Lancashire at Emerald Headingley today.
The pair shared an unbroken stand of 170 inside 42 overs either side of lunch, with Lyth’s 108 retired not out off 166 balls including 14 fours and two sixes.
It was the hosts’ feature innings as they closed on 337-5 from 90 overs.
Kohler-Cadmore was caught and bowled for 70 off 120 balls before Lyth retired at tea to give the likes of Will Fraine, Harry Brook and Matthew Waite time in the middle ahead of bowling tomorrow.
Kohler-Cadmore and Lyth are regular opening partners in limited overs cricket, but they have only opened together in red ball cricket once – last season’s final County Championship clash at Warwickshire.
It is almost certain they will unite again when the White Rose travel to Durham’s Emirates Riverside next Saturday to begin their Bob Willis Trophy campaign.
Both men dominated a Lancashire attack who plugged away on a placid Headingley surface and enjoyed most success after tea when Yorkshire fell from 212-2.
The bowlers were potentially not helped by the fact no saliva is allowed to be used to shine a ball which also has to be sanitised every six overs.
Graham Onions, however, bowled nicely with the new ball and struck twice in an over after tea.
Lyth was dropped on two at square-leg by Liam Hurt off Tom Bailey.
He pulled sixes off seamers Hurt and Onions in reaching an 84-ball fifty off the last delivery before lunch.
Kohler-Cadmore was particularly confident on the drive. He hit 13 fours in all and also brought up his fifty off 84 balls – just before Lyth.
With no spectators in attendance – members of both counties are able to view a live online stream – the action had an eery feel to it.
Coronavirus-forced protocols meant constant sanitiser breaks, 12th men wearing facemarks and physios donning personal protective equipment.
Only Yorkshire are using the regular dressing rooms, while Lancashire are using rooms on the third floor in the Carnegie Pavilion and are staying on site at the Headingley Lodge.
Kohler-Cadmore was dropped on 65 by Onions at mid-on off Bailey inside the opening hour of the afternoon session.
But, by then, he had all but rubber-stamped his place as regular four-day opener Lyth’s partner ahead of the competitive action.
He fell five runs later caught and bowled to a superb reaction catch by left-arm spinner Tom Hartley.
Fraine lofted the same bowler over long-on for six to move into double figures and then swept him over the ropes again.
Shortly after Kohler-Cadmore’s departure, Lyth reached three-figures off 143 balls with 14 fours.
Fraine (28) looked in excellent touch. He has endured a particularly difficult last eleven months, suffering – and recovering from – two dislocations of his left knee.
He fell caught behind off medium pacer Danny Lamb in the 57th over, leaving the score at 211-2 and signalling an early tea.
Brook and Tom Loten started their innings immediately upon the resumption after tea.
Like Lyth and Fraine earlier, Brook was quickly into his stride with a six, launched high over long-on into the new Emerald Stand off Hartley.
He and Loten (7) fell caught behind and lbw to Onions in the 68th over as Yorkshire fell to 251-4.
Josh Bohannon later trapped Jonny Tattersall lbw for 13 before Matthews Waite and Fisher finished unbeaten on 43 and 25, sharing 48.
As play took place on a pitch closer to Headingley’s East Stand, two practice nets were in use all day for both sets of players in front of the West Stand.
Duanne Olivier bowled against Gary Ballance as they edge closer to full fitness.