Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Jonny Bairstow back in action for Yorkshire after missing the best part of two matches with a fractured thumb.
Yorkshire were hurt by an impressive sixth-wicket partnership of 165 between Tom Price and unbeaten centurion John Simpson as Sussex enjoyed the better of today’s opening day at Headingley.
Sussex have started this season’s Rothesay County Championship campaign in fine style with wins over Leicestershire and Warwickshire, and they have made early moves towards another here having closed on 373-6 from 96 overs.
Seamers Jack White and George Hill struck twice apiece either side of lunch, and Yorkshire were on top with their visitors at 150-5. White finished with the pick of the figures, 3-42 from 18 overs.
Unfortunately, though, all-rounder Price – a winter recruit from Gloucestershire – and club captain Simpson turned the tables in Sussex’s favour. Price top-scored with 93 off 159 balls, with 14 fours and a six, and Simpson closed unbeaten on 101 not out off 163 balls.
Opener Tom Haines started the day by hitting 15 fours in a fluent 64 in the Leeds sunshine.
Jonny Bairstow, who elected to bowl, was one of three changes to the Yorkshire team which were beaten here by Hampshire the week before last.
Although he came in for Harry Duke, Bairstow has not taken the gloves in order to protect the fractured thumb he suffered on day one of the season-opening draw at Glamorgan.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. George Hill celebrates dismissing Sussex’s James Coles, with the help of a slip catch from Joe Root.
Fin Bean has slotted into the ‘keeper-batter role this weekend.
Joe Root has come in for James Wharton and Logan van Beek for injured Ben Coad.
A highly engaging morning’s play in glorious sunshine saw Sussex reach 103-3 from 27 overs, with White striking twice in an over and Dom Bess getting opener Haines lbw.
Haines had early success against Jhye Richardson, bowling with the new ball. The left-hander hit half a dozen off-side boundaries in his first 20 balls at the crease.
The left-handed England Lion was particularly strong, sometimes fearsome, on the drive before the visitors were pegged back thanks to White’s double strike in the 12th over, reducing the score to 41-2.
He had Dan Hughes caught behind, via his inside-edge, and Tom Clark lbw as they pushed forward.
Haines reached his fifty in 61 balls before also falling as he pushed forwards just before lunch – 91-3. He fell to Bess’s sixth ball of the day.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Tom Haines celebrates his half-century this morning.
While they were not without reward before lunch, Yorkshire were much better with the ball afterwards, and Hill struck twice in four balls in the 37th and 39th overs as Sussex fell to 150-5.
Jack Leaning, a two-time Championship winner with Yorkshire before moving to Kent, is in the early stages of his first season at Hove.
And he was Hill’s first victim.
The fourth Sussex player to fall pushing forwards, Leaning – on 20 – edged a low catch to second slip, where Adam Lyth held on. The umpires, Ben Debenham and Tom Lungley, discussed the legality of the catch before sending the batter on his way.
And James Coles followed him not long afterwards.
Coles had shared 50 for the fourth wicket with Haines and then 54 for the fifth with Leaning but fell within touching distance of his half-century, for 47, when he edged a nothing shot to Root at first slip to give Hill further joy as the score slipped to 150-5 in the 39th over.
Unfortunately, then came the day’s key passage of play through to tea, and it didn’t go Yorkshire’s way in the face of Price and Simpson.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Jack White appeals successfully to dismiss Tom Clark lbw before lunch.
While neither played in the free-flowing fashion which Haines did at the start of the day, this wasn’t a dig-in partnership either.
Price, for example, pulled Richardson for four and then six off successive deliveries in one over and then took two more boundaries off him in the Australian’s next over as the score moved to 227-5 after 57 overs.
Price reached his third fifty in as many matches for Sussex this season off 75 balls just before tea before Simpson followed him to the same milestone off 87 after tea.
The pair doubled their side’s total to just beyond 300-5 when the new ball was taken with 16 overs remaining in the day; White and Hill with it.
Alongside Bess, they were Yorkshire’s three best bowlers today, going at under three runs per over.
White cemented that view when he had Price caught at second slip by Lyth, forcing off the back foot, with the new ball – 315-6 in the 84th over.
Simpson later reached his hundred off the day’s penultimate ball, a pull against Logan van Beek. It was his 13th boundary.
