Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Debutant Jhye Richardson made the morning breakthrough, removing Joe Weatherley.
Five-wicket star George Hill impressed with the ball at Headingley once again on a bowler-dominated opening day of the Rothesay County Championship clash with Hampshire.
On the final day of last summer, Hill wrecked Durham’s hopes of survival with a superb 4-14, helping to claim a victory which won’t be forgotten in a hurry given the North East county were bowled out for 85 in their second innings.
While things didn’t happen quite as quickly today, a regular flow of wickets from Hill and his team-mates ensured Yorkshire’s hopes of another victory on home turf are high heading into the next three days – even if they encountered issues of their own with the bat late in a day which saw Hampshire bowled out for 251 and the White Rose reply with 48-4 at close.
Hill finished with 5-46 from 13.1 overs, supplemented by Ben Coad’s 2-47 from 19 overs. Jhye Richardson, Jack White and captain Dom Bess added one apiece. Unfortunately, then England emerging quick Sonny Baker struck three times in an over as Hampshire hit back strongly.
Hampshire, inserted, slipped to 1-1 early this morning before ex-White Rose overseas player Jake Lehmann – now a local with today’s visitors – aided a recovery with a well-paced 76 off 93 balls.
Hill once again showed all the skill and potency which saw him top 50 wickets in last season’s Championship.
After Australian overseas pacer Richardson gave the hosts the ideal start with a wicket nine balls into his debut – that of Joe Weatherley caught behind with a beauty that nipped away – wickets fell pretty regularly.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. George Hill appeals, successfully, for the wicket of Tom Prest, trapped lbw.
There was afternoon resistance from fifth-wicket pair Lehmann, briefly of this parish in late 2016, and youngster Ben Mayes as they shared 88 to advance from 111-4.
But, either side of tea, the White Rose reasserted their authority in conditions which offered enough assistance for the seamers through seam and swing.
Yorkshire made two changes from their opening round draw against Glamorgan at Cardiff.
Richardson, 1-51 from 12 overs having taken the new ball, and wicketkeeper Harry Duke replaced Logan van Beek and injured Jonny Bairstow.
Hampshire came in unchanged from their innings defeat at home to Essex last weekend.
Yorkshire started beautifully.
Slippery Richardson forced Joe Weatherley to push forwards and feather behind.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Coad celebrates dismissing Liam Dawson this afternoon.
Opener Nick Gubbins drove nicely to lead the fightback against some early assistance for the quicks but fell just after lunch for 43 when he was caught at third slip off White.
That left Hampshire at 95 for three, with Tom Prest having fallen just before the break when trapped lbw by Hill for 35.
Gubbins and Prest had shared a second-wicket 75.
Visiting captain Ben Brown was also pinned lbw as he advanced at Hill’s seam amidst a productive start to the afternoon for Yorkshire at 111-4.
Left-handed Lehmann, the son of Darren, batted at four and ensured somewhat of a revival in tandem with teenager Ben Mayes, who contributed 39 to an 88-run partnership.
Lehmann was strong through the off-side and reached his fifty off 65 balls during their stand.
However, thankfully, Mayes and Liam Dawson departed soon afterwards.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Former overseas player Jake Lehmann on the attack at Headingley this afternoon.
The former was bowled by captain Bess’s off-spin, the latter caught behind off Coad’s seam. That tipped the balance back towards Yorkshire at 204-6.
Further success came quickly, with Hill in the thick of it.
He struck twice in four balls in the 60th over, getting Codi Yusuf and Kyle Abbott lbw to leave the score at 222-8.
Lehmann continued to stand firm as the majority of those struggled around him, finishing with 11 boundaries. By tea, the 33-year-old had reached 70.
Classy Coad then uprooted Eddie Jack’s off-stump before Hill’s sixth first-class five-for was completed when Lehmann holed out at deep mid-wicket to end the Hampshire innings. Matthew Revis took a smart catch just inside the rope.
But, again, a see-saw day tipped once more.
Abbott made the breakthrough in the 11th over when – with the score on seven – Fin Bean attempted to leave alone and lost his off-stump. Then, in the 19th, Baker trapped Sam Whiteman lbw and followed it up by forcing nightwatchman Coad to play on and yorking James Wharton. It was searing stuff from the two-time white-ball international and is the kind of thing which will have the Test selectors licking their lips.
