Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Will Luxton and Adam Lyth shared Yorkshire second century opening stand of the season either side of lunch today.
Openers Adam Lyth and Will Luxton, alongside all-rounder Matthew Revis, scored half-centuries during a back-and-forth opening day against Essex which also saw the hosts lose five wickets for 18 runs during the afternoon at weather-affected Headingley.
Lyth and Luxton both scored 62 and 50 respectively at the start of this 12th round Rothesay County Championship fixture. They shared 121 for the first wicket, only to both fall as the score slipped to 139-5.
Revis then led an impressive recovery after tea with 61 as Yorkshire closed on 241-6. He shared 94 for the sixth wicket with George Hill, who will start tomorrow on 24 not out.
Rain played its part today both in the morning and evening, with only 70 overs bowled.
Leg-spinner Matt Critchley and seamer Shane Snater struck twice apiece for the visitors, added to a Jamie Porter wicket.
Yorkshire enjoyed a productive start during what proved to be only a 13-over morning session, reaching 50-0.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Adam Lyth takes a blow en-route to a pleasing half-century today.
Essex’s depleted attack, minus the likes of Simon Harmer and Sam Cook because of international duty, could have had Lyth on seven when he edged Porter between the keeper and first slip. But they weren’t able to build any serious pressure until mid-afternoon.
Luxton played a couple of eye-catching cover drives either side of lunch on the same pitch used for the recent England versus Pakistan Test Match.
Good for batting today, it is expected to become increasingly spin-friendly, with Yorkshire sticking with two spinners in Dom Bess and Kuldeep Yadav.
Lyth was also strong on the drive as the hosts continued to prosper into the afternoon.
Lyth hit three boundaries in four balls off Zaman Akhter’s seam to take him to 36 and the score to 72-0 after 17.
Lyth was first to 50 off 89 balls, quickly followed by Luxton off 81. By that time, Yorkshire were 119-0.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Matthew Revis and George Hill shared a sixth-wicket 94.
However, things changed quickly, with Yorkshire losing five wickets inside nine overs.
Luxton was bowled by Porter, Sam Whiteman followed caught at short fine-leg sweeping against Critchley’s leg-spin before Lyth was trapped lbw by Snater.
James Wharton then miscued a pull at Critchley to mid-on before Snater trapped Jonny Bairstow lbw pushing forwards.
While there were rainy spells, there were also periods of sunshine. But it was breezy throughout, and at one point after lunch one of the practice nets even blew onto the outfield towards the corner of the Western Terrace.
Rain delayed the start of the evening by 50 minutes before Revis took three boundaries off Porter in the second over back, two drives and a back foot punch through the covers as the score moved to 163-5 and the all-rounder to 21.
Revis found a partner in in-form Hill, the pair returning Yorkshire into a position of health in the evening sunshine.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Matt Critchley struck twice for Essex this afternoon with his leg-spin.
Revis reached his fifty off 70 balls before falling lbw to Mitch Killeen’s seam – 233-6.
Yorkshire could do with Hill following him to the same milestone in the morning. Dom Bess is unbeaten on six.
