Headingley latest: Yorkshire frustrated by Hampshire batsmen

The Australian left-hander, who had a brief but unsuccessful spell with Yorkshire in 2002, came in with Hampshire struggling on six for two and at the close he was still there with 180 in a total of 352 for five.

Yorkshire’s latest Australian signing, Mitchell Starc, had his debut delayed in order to recover from jet lag after having just returned from a trip home to get his visa papers in order, but the fast bowler must have been itching to help out his beleaguered new colleagues.

Winning the toss, Hampshire were soon in trouble against the new-ball pairing of Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Patterson but once they were rested the pressure eased considerably.

Sidebottom struck in his second over by getting Liam Dawson to nibble at a delivery which left him and Patterson was soon rewarded when Jimmy Adams moved into his stumps and was lbw.

Katich came desperately close to being lbw to his first ball but he quickly settled in and many of his runs resulted from beautifully timed and elegant cover drives.

He went on to add 124 in 28 overs with Sean Ervine (44) and then an unbroken 145 with Michael Bates, who was not out on 88 at stumps.

Katich also enjoyed his moments of good fortune, driving Iain Wardlaw just out of Patterson’s reach at deep mid-off on 49, being dropped by a diving Sidebottom on 114 and surviving a fierce return to Adil Rashid when he had 144.

Despite Katich hurrying on to 58 by lunch, much of the morning session belonged to Yorkshire who had the visitors struggling at 92 for four by the lunch interval.

After the openers had departed, Michael Carberry suddenly lost patience and was well caught in the slips by Gary Ballance for 15 as he drove loosely at Wardlaw.

Another poor drive accounted for James Vince when Patterson found the edge and wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy held on.

Hampshire dominated events in the afternoon and the tone was set by Ervine, who leaned back and smacked Patterson high over mid-wicket for six.

Rashid, who had bowled one over of his leg-spin in the morning, returned for a longer spell and his second ball was struck over mid-on by Katich to go to his century off only 99 balls with 15 fours.

Another chance went begging for Yorkshire when Ervine slapped a full toss from Wardlaw to Phil Jaques, who put down the catch at extra cover.

But there was no escape for him when his mis-hit drive against off-spinner Joe Root spiralled to Patterson at mid-on.

Yorkshire had an opportunity to get back into the game with their opponents on 207 for five but they were powerless to prevent Katich and Bates from batting out the remainder of the day, Katich cruising to his 150 off 188 deliveries from which had caressed 19 boundaries.

Bates also looked in complete command and there was just time before the close for the wicketkeeper to reach a career-best 88 from 146 balls with 16 boundaries.

Read Chris Waters’s match report every day in the Yorkshire Post newspaper.