COUNTY CRICKET: Yorkshire in control in Old Trafford Roses clash

Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom took 3-42 against Lancashire on day one at Old Trafford.

Andrew Gale’s bowlers dismissed Lancashire side for 278 before openers Adam Lyth (25) and Alex Lees (36) added 61-0 in 19 overs by close of play.

The match could scarcely have got off to a worse start for Lancashire as Yorkshire seamer Ryan Sidebottom removed took two wickets with the second and third balls of Lancashire’s innings.

First, Paul Horton (0) was lbw for when comprehensively beaten by a ball which swung back into him. The next delivery was similar but slightly outside the off stump and it set a very different problem for the left-handed Usman Khawaja, who could only edge it to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Luis Reece and Ashwell Prince ensured that Yorkshire made no further breakthroughs with the new ball and the pair had added 96 when Prince (53) attempted a reverse sweep off Adil Rashid, but only succeeded in playing the ball onto his stumps.

Opener Reece was 53 not out at lunch with the total on 121-3, although he was gone within two balls of the restart, leg before to Sidebottom.

Steven Croft and Alex Davies then added 48 in nine overs before Jack Brooks trapped Croft leg before for 38.

Davies followed his team mate to the pavilion 10 overs later for 35 when he drove Richard Pyrah to short extra cover where Jack Leaning took a fine diving catch to leave the home side on 19-6.

Tom Smith and Stephen Parry then took their side to 232-6 at tea.

Parry was adjudged caught behind off Brooks for 17 in the second over after the resumption, with Lancashire going on to lose their last four wickets for 31 runs in nine overs – Smith the most significant to fall after scoring 57 off 98 balls.

Sidebottom (3-42) was the pick of the Yorkshire attack but Brooks (3-64) and Rashid (3-77) also impressing – Richard Pyrah taking the remaining wicket.

Read Chris Waters’s match report in The Yorkshire Post on Monday.