Will Fraine and Dom Bess hit excellent half-centuries to ensure a Yorkshire fightback on day one against Hampshire, who still maintained the advantage amidst the Scarborough rain.
Yorkshire slipped to 33-6 after 21 overs of a day which was cut short at tea, though by the time the weather closed in the hosts had reached 158-8 inside 55 at the start of this LV= Insurance County Championship fixture.
Seventh-wicket pair Fraine and Bess shared 116 through the majority of the afternoon, posting 53 and 67 respectively.
However, the day’s standout performers remained Hampshire’s overseas seamers Kyle Abbott (4-36) and Muhammad Abbas (3-25).
There was no play possible beyond 3.45pm, with almost 42 overs cut from the day’s allotted 96.
Hampshire proved just why they are maintaining serious pressure on Division One leaders Surrey, their potent attack making full use of helpful conditions during a morning cut short at 12.35pm by the first of two rain breaks. The first was brief, the second terminal.
Yorkshire’s top order succumbed against swing and seam.
Pakistan’s Abbas claimed three of the morning wickets, ex-South Africa quick Abbott two and Keith Barker one.
After Yorkshire elected to bat, Barker made the breakthrough by trapping George Hill lbw for a golden duck five balls into the match before Adam Lyth played on trying to leave Abbas alone in the second over – Yorkshire 1-2.
Abbas trapped Tom Kohler-Cadmore lbw shortly afterwards and bowled Jonny Tattersall who, like Lyth, tried to leave alone.
Abbott then had Matthews Waite and Revis caught at third and fourth slip, Waite driving and Revis pushing forwards, leaving the score at 33-6 after 21 overs.
Only two more deliveries were possible before the rain, which actually proved to come at a good time for the hosts as it broke Hampshire’s momentum.
That was highlighted during the opening over of the afternoon when Fraine drove two boundaries from the medium pace of Ian Holland.
Hampshire’s metronomic morning length – not too short, not too full – became more varied, allowing runs to flow and the dominance to be eroded.
Fraine drove nicely. One punch down the ground off Abbas was particularly eye-catching as he made his way towards a first fifty in his fourth Championship appearance of 2022, off 122 balls.
Bess reached his third half-century off 83 moments later, by which time Yorkshire were 135-6 in the 46th over.
Bess scored his runs on both sides of the pitch, flashing a couple of boundaries over the slips.
Abbott then reasserted Hampshire’s authority. He had Fraine, earlier dropped on one, caught at third slip off an attempted pull – 149-7 in the 51st over.
Joe Weatherley atoned for his earlier error at third slip with a smart one-handed catch above his head after the ball had looped up off Fraine’s glove.
Bess then fell with what proved to be the final ball of the day when he edged the same bowler to Liam Dawson at second slip.
Yorkshire have made three changes from their team which drew at Somerset last week.
Fraine, captain Steve Patterson and Ben Coad are in, the latter playing his first match of the season after suffering a groin tear on pre-season tour in Dubai in March.
Harry Brook (England duty), Jack Shutt and Shannon Gabriel drop out of the side.
