Live: Rothesay County Championship – Yorkshire Men vs Hampshire Day 1

We have just added a late line to our match report….

“One thing Yorkshire will be hoping for prior to 11am tomorrow is good news regarding an injury concern for fledgling fast bowler Cliff, who only bowled four overs before leaving the field with a side/back complaint. The medical staff will further assess things tonight and tomorrow morning.”

Fifteen wickets in the day, with Hampshire having had the better of it thanks to bowling Yorkshire out for 121 shortly after lunch.

But credit to Yorkshire, who have fought back well to keep their hosts in check. Two wickets apiece for George Hill and Jack White. Hill also hit 20 with the bat.

Brad Wheal lbw Jack White, 7.

White pins the nightwatchman in front with one that kept low.

Yorkshire have been very good with the ball, limiting the damage done earlier with the bat.

Picture by John Heald.

Tom Prest bowled by George Hill for 32.

Second wicket for Hill, who uproots off-stump. Big wicket that because Prest was looking confident. Much more of him and the game could have been beyond Yorkshire. Nightwatchman Brad Wheal is in for Hampshire.

Hampshire are 138-3 after 51 overs, leading by 17. We have eight more overs to bowl in the day. Toby Albert is 14 and Tom Prest 20. Dom Bess and George Hill in operation for Yorkshire in the evening sunshine.

Fletcha Middleton is caught behind by Jonny Bairstow off Dom Bess, 45.

Super work from Bairstow behind the stumps. Middleton pushes forward and the ball loops up to almost a backward short-leg. Bairstow gets around and takes the catching diving forwards, handing Bess his first wicket.

Tom Prest is in now to join Toby Albert, who has 3.

Ben Coad is currently bowling at Toby Albert with what looks like the Yorkshire Wall in operation; short cover, short mid-off, short mid-on and short mid-wicket. Albert has faced 21 balls and is yet to get off the mark.

One thing Yorkshire can reflect on with encouragement is that they have held the rate well and have not allowed Hampshire to get away from them. The hosts are 97-2 in the 38th over, trailing by 24. Middleton has 39, and we have 21 overs remaining in the day.

Nick Gubbins is caught at first slip by George Hill off Jack White’s bowling, 9.

White has his first wicket for Yorkshire, and Toby Albert comes to the crease, joining Fletcha Middleton on 28.

Hampshire are 78-1 in the early stages of the evening, with Dom Bess and Jack White in operation for Yorkshire. The hosts trail by 43.

Hampshire’s session, unfortunately. They reduced Yorkshire from 106-5 at lunch to 121 all out and have replied confidently with the bat.

Fletcha Middleton is unbeaten on 24 with Nick Gubbins for company on 4.

Jonny Bairstow’s side could badly do with a positive evening session to limit the damage ahead of day two.

Mark Stoneman bowled by George Hill, 46.

Hill uproots Stoneman’s leg-stump, likely with help of an inside-edge. Nick Gubbins in now alongside Fletcha Middleton, who has 23.

Hill has been excellent so far with the ball – 1-4 from six overs so far.

Dom Bess is into his second over, having replaced Ben Cliff. Hampshire are 56-0 in the 20th over.

The visitors are still searching for the breakthrough, and George Hill follows Ben Cliff into the attack.

Hampshire 55-0 after 17 overs, trailing by 66. Stoneman 36 and Middleton has 19.

Ben Cliff has replaced Jack White from the Pavilion End of the Utilita Bowl and is into his second over.

Hampshire are 47-0 in the 14th, with Stoneman 30 and Middleton 17.

Hampshire have made a positive start, which has included Mark Stoneman pulling Jack White for six. He has 24 on debut added to Middleton’s 10.

Ben Coad has an early, and confident, lbw appeal against Mark Stoneman turned down. He has 7, Middleton 4, and Hampshire are 11-0 after five overs, trailing by 110.

Ben Coad and Jack White are sharing the new ball, with Mark Stoneman and Fletcha Middleton opening the batting for Hampshire, who are 4-0 in the second over.

Ben Cliff lbw Liam Dawson, 2.

Cliff is trapped in front on the reverse sweep. Dawid Malan top-scores for Yorkshire with 31. Kyle Abbott and Dawson claimed three wickets apiece for Hampshire. We still have 59 overs remaining in the day.

Picture by John Heald.

Dom Bess lbw Liam Dawson, 1. Jack White is Yorkshire’s number 11. He joins Ben Cliff, who has 1.

The visitors have four wickets for two runs in 12 balls.

Ben Coad is bowled via an inside edge by Kyle Abbott, 0.

Yorkshire have lost three wickets without addition during the early stages of the afternoon. Ben Cliff in to join Dom Bess.

George Hill caught behind by Ben Brown off Kyle Abbott for 20.

Ben Coad’s tail-end capabilities are needed badly here. He joins Dom Bess, who has yet to score.

Will Luxton b Liam Dawson, 4.

Hampshire’s left-arm spinner strikes early in the afternoon session as they increase their stranglehold on the early stages of this fixture. Dom Bess in to join George Hill, who has 20.

Worcestershire 110-4 v Somerset, Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton

Sussex 88-3 v Warwickshire, Edgbaston

Essex 114-1 v Surrey, Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford

Durham 118-3 v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge

It’s been a challenging opening morning for Yorkshire upon their return to Division One.

Having won the toss, they have lost Lyth, Bean, Wharton, Bairstow and Malan.

George Hill and Will Luxton are unbeaten on 16 and 4 respectively.

Dawid Malan has been run out for 31.

Malan pushes Sonny Baker to cover, where Mark Stoneman collects and throws down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Malan knew about three quarters way down that he was in trouble with a direct hit, and so it proved.

Disastrous moment for Yorkshire, whose rebuild now lies with George Hill (10) and Will Luxton.

After a steady start for Yorkshire, Hampshire have hit back well.

Sonny Baker, their new signing from Somerset, looks like he has an extra yard of pace.

Malan has started nicely, but he is going to need George Hill to do the same to wrestle back the momentum.

Oh no. Jonny Bairstow, having crashed the previous ball from Sonny Baker through the covers for four, picks out deep third and falls for 10. George Hill joins Dawid Malan at the crease. He has 21.

James Wharton c Tom Prest b Brad Wheal, 13.

Wharton is caught at third slip having been squared up a touch. Challenging start for Yorkshire. Jonny Bairstow joins Dawid Malan at the crease. The latter has 16.

Yorkshire have moved to 53-2 in the 14th over. James Wharton has 13 and Dawid Malan has 12.

From our vantage point in the press box, it’s difficult to tell exactly what the pitch is doing, but there looks to be a bit of help on offer for the bowlers and some decent pace.

Fin Bean square drives Brett Hampton low to backward point, where Liam Dawson takes the catch. Hampshire’s New Zealand overseas all-rounder strikes in his first over. Dawid Malan in to join James Wharton, who has 1.

Adam Lyth has been trapped lbw by Kyle Abbott for 13.

James Wharton comes to the crease to join Fin Bean, who has 5.

Adam Lyth has 13 and Fin Bean 5. Handy start for Yorkshire.

Adam Lyth took a couple of boundaries off Kyle Abbott in his opening over, including one which was miss-fielded on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Yorkshire are 8-0 after two overs. Abbott and Brad Wheal have taken the new ball for the hosts.

Fin Bean and Adam Lyth are out in the middle after Jonny Bairstow won the toss.

Kyle Abbott has the new ball for Hampshire.

Earlier this week, on the Yorkshire website, we published all of the team-by-team guides for the Rothesay County Championship, produced by the ECB Reporters Network service. Here is Hampshire’s.

HAMPSHIRE

Previewed by Alex Smith – ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Captain: Ben Brown

Head Coach: Adi Birrell

2024 finish: Second

2024 highest run-scorer: James Vince (986)

2024 highest wicket-taker: Liam Dawson (54)

Key winter moves: The winter has been tumultuous with James Vince moving to Dubai – after attacks on his family house last summer – while Mo Abbas hasn’t been retained as overseas. That is over 1,000 runs and 36 wickets from last season alone to recover. Experienced top-order batter Mark Stoneman has been added to somewhat fill the Vince void, while a battery of fast bowlers will replace Abbas. Sonny Baker, who has arrived from Somerset, is one of them.

What we’re looking forward to seeing: The fastest of fast bowling attacks. Abbas’ exit frees up space for some of the quickest young talent on the circuit. Baker, John Turner, Scott Currie, Brad Wheal and Eddie Jack can all bowl in the vicinity of 90mph. Kyle Abbott will once again lead the attack, with the experienced heads of Keith Barker and James Fuller helping to oversee the crop of wunderkinder.

Player to watch: Tom Prest will soften the blow of Vince’s migration. He ticks the batting aesthetic, quick-scoring and slip fielding boxes, and most importantly the run scoring. Prest is quite simply a Vince clone with 24 rather than 14 on his back. Three centuries last year at an average of just over 48 suggest he could not only get out of Vince’s shadow in 2025, but eclipse it.

Final thought: Hampshire have finished in the top three in each of the past three seasons, with 2024’s second-place finish their highest since 2005. One further step shouldn’t be that big, and yet without Vince it feels massive. Ben Brown is now captain, with the likes of Nick Gubbins and the increasingly impressive Liam Dawson crucial in filling the leadership and batting vacuum. Indian-based GMR Group took over Hampshire over the winter – making them the first overseas-owned county – although little is expected to change off the field in 2025.

Good morning from the Utilita Bowl. It’s a picture perfect morning in Southampton, and we’re all set for an 11am start.

The players are about to begin their warm-ups. Adam Lyth is first out – he’s going for a net with John Sadler by the looks of things.

Hampshire are set to hand a debut to overseas all-rounder Brett Hampton from New Zealand.  He has replaced the injured Jack Edwards – Mickey’s brother. He was due to come over and start the season with last year’s Division One runners-up.

We shall bring you team and toss news just after 10.30am.

Welcome to our live coverage of our opening match of the 2025 Rothesay County Championship season against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl, Southampton.

We’ll be bringing you live text coverage throughout the day, and you can watch the fixture through Hampshire’s live stream at the top of this page.

Be sure to get in touch on X, we’ll be featuring some of the best comments throughout this four day fixture.