Picture by John Heald. James Wharton posted an unbeaten 63 for Yorkshire today, with Adam Lyth also making 58.
Adam Lyth and James Wharton posted watchful half-centuries in Yorkshire’s 216 all out on day one against Essex at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford, before Ben Coad and George Hill gave them a late boost with three wickets before close.
Jonny Bairstow won the toss on what looks to be a slow pitch and saw openers Lyth and returning Fin Bean share a pleasing 71 inside 23 overs, the latter contributing 31. But Yorkshire were unable to make the most of that promising start.
Lyth went on to make 58 off 148 balls before he was trapped lbw by Sri Lankan overseas seamer Kasun Rajitha – 108-2. Unfortunately, not long afterwards, the visitors slipped into trouble from 125-2 to 128-5, losing Jonnys Tattersall and Bairstow along with Hill first ball.
Unbeaten number three Wharton was able to advance to 63 off 145 balls, but further wickets fell around him as Essex’s leg-spinning all-rounder Matt Critchley finished with 4-49 from 13.5 overs. Seamers Jamie Porter and Kasun Rajitha struck twice apiece.
In reply, Essex faced 16 overs before close and reached 27-3. Hill struck twice and Coad once.
Yorkshire made five changes from the team which was beaten by Warwickshire at Headingley last weekend, picking two spinners in Dan Moriarty and Dom Bess. The White Rose took to the field without either of their overseas players, Ben Sears and Jordan Buckingham. The former has been managing a slight ankle problem but will be ready to face Surrey at the Kia Oval next week. Buckingham, meanwhile, has been left out, with Yorkshire opting to go down the two-spinner route.
Picture by John Heald. Adam Lyth cuts en-route to his half-century.
England batters Harry Brook and Joe Root are unavailable, with the Test squad at a training camp ahead of facing Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on May 22.
Essex’s new-ball seamer Sam Cook is not playing here for the same reason.
Generally speaking, Yorkshire’s progress was steady and sturdy during a morning in which Essex created few chances. Though openers Lyth and Bean did take on overseas off-spinner Simon Harmer with success, each hitting him over mid-off’s head for four.
Bean was the only morning wicket to fall, trapped lbw on the drive against new-ball seamer Shane Snater (1-19 from 13 overs), and the White Rose reached lunch in useful shape at 80-1 in 32 overs.
And that position was built on by Lyth and Wharton after lunch, taking the score beyond 100.
Even so, there was a but.
Picture by John Heald. Yorkshire openers Fin Bean and Adam Lyth had got their side off to a solid start.
South African Harmer had bowled four successive maidens towards the end of the morning session, and that kind of hold on the run-rate would have given Essex hope that quick wickets would give them a route back into things.
So it proved, with the pressure Harmer partly built telling. He finished with 0-34 from 19 overs.
Lyth, having reached his fifty off 122 balls during the early stages of the afternoon, was trapped lbw stuck on the crease by Rajitha – 108-2 in the 49th over.
From there, things went Essex’s way.
Jonny Tattersall, playing his first game of the season, was caught low down at leg-slip having looked to work Critchley around the corner before Bairstow was trapped lbw on the back pad by Porter.
And when Hill was caught behind – via inside-edge – off Porter’s next ball, Yorkshire were 128-5 in the 55th over.
Picture by John Heald. Captains Jonny Bairstow and Tom Westley at the toss.
Unfortunately, despite Wharton reaching his second fifty of the season – this one off 138 balls, things didn’t get any better in front of a crowd of 2,612, boosted by children from local schools.
Matthew Revis miscued a pull at Critchley to point four overs into the evening, 157-6 after 68 overs, before Dom Bess was lbw trying to leave Rajitha alone.
Coad pulled Critchley to midwicket moments after Wharton has reached his fifty, the score now 176-8 in the 74th.
After the Warwickshire game, head coach Anthony McGrath spoke about how Yorkshire had played some good cricket this season but hadn’t done so for long enough. This day fell into that category after the useful start which had been made.
Dan Moriarty hit six fours in 24 to get Yorkshire up beyond 200 before he was trapped lbw by Noah Thain’s pre new ball seam with 209 on the board.
And Critchley wrapped things up when he had Jack White caught at slip in the 78th over.
Picture by John Heald. George Hill is congratulated on one of the two wickets he took tonight.
From 108-1 halfway through the day, Yorkshire only managed to double their score.
Thankfully, though, the visitors made inroads with the ball before close, with Coad getting opener Ben Allison caught behind in the third over of the Essex reply, leaving the score at 5-1.
Hill then claimed the notable scalp of former South African Test captain Dean Elgar for 9 as he was caught at second slip and later bowled nightwatchman Porter with one that kept low, leaving the score at 23-3 in the 14th over.
