Yorkshire CCC v Warwickshire CCC: Compelling cricket in the Headingley sunshine

One can scarcely believe the weather of late, so warm and pleasant for the time of year. Perhaps those administrators who have shoved the County Championship into the season’s early weeks are not so stupid after all, or maybe the cricketing gods are exacting a glorious revenge, with a deluge planned for The Hundred in August.

Either way, no one in a crowd of 2,281 was complaining as Yorkshire and Warwickshire commenced hostilities.

In conditions as nice as the ground has known in spring, with just a gentle westerly nudging the flags, the cricket was the perfect complement to the weather, thick with interest and tumbling wickets.

After losing the toss on a heavily-grassed pitch, the sort that makes a bowler’s eyes light up and a batsman’s look aghast to the heavens, Yorkshire were dismissed for 205, Jonny Bairstow top-scoring with 47 and Ethan Bamber taking 5-47.

In reply, Warwickshire battled to 161-6 at stumps, the game having moved on apace, as though being played on the fast-forward button.

With Joe Root and Harry Brook made available by England for this match only, on the day that both were confirmed in the squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe that starts at Trent Bridge on May 22, Yorkshire had a stronger look than they have for some time. It would have been stronger still had Dawid Malan been fit, but a groin injury meant that Yorkshire had to make do with just the six players with Test match pedigree.

Two of them, Adam Lyth and Dom Bess, walked out to open for the first time, Bess promoted in the absence of Fin Bean, Lyth’s usual partner, one of four changes to the side that drew in Durham.

Along with the returning Root and Brook, pace bowler Ben Coad was recalled and new overseas quick Jordan Buckingham came in for his debut, with all-rounder Matty Revis and pace bowler Jack White also dropping out.

Bess deserved his chance after recent displays, the off-spinner scoring his maiden hundred for the club in the last home game and following it up with a half-century in Durham.

He hit two glorious straight drives off Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Bamber before the latter had him caught off an inside-edge, one of five catches for wicketkeeper Kai Smith, whose second came in Bamber’s next over when he juggled an edge from James Wharton.

It brought Root to the crease to warm applause but he fell for a single, edging to second slip as he played back in defence, one of three wickets for Ed Barnard who had seen him dropped at first slip by Alex Davies earlier in the over.

When Lyth was caught behind off Hannon-Dalby, Yorkshire were 75-4 and the morning had possibly swung to the visitors, although batting always looked challenging given the movement available.

Disappointingly for Yorkshire, they lost two wickets straight after lunch, falling to 105-6 as first Brook sliced the third ball after the break from Bamber to third-man and then George Hill was caught at first slip driving at the same bowler.

It should have been 124-7 but Jordan Thompson was spilled on 16 by Smith as he dived in front of first slip, Thompson and Bairstow going on to add a useful 61 in 91 balls, the highest stand of the innings.

Both looked to attack when the opportunity arose and their partnership was just beginning to assume dangerous levels when Thompson nicked off to Barnard, the all-rounder betraying his disappointment as he swished his bat in frustration and threw his head skywards as he left the scene.

Coad could not resist the tempter of a drive at Michael Booth and was caught behind; Bairstow was comprehensively castled as he drove at Barnard to end a 77-ball stay that included eight fours, and the innings ended when Ben Sears, making his home debut, was caught high at second slip to give Bamber his fifth, having entertained the crowd with 28 from just 20 balls with five fours and a six.

Both Warwickshire openers fell in the space of seven deliveries as the visitors slipped to 30-2. First, Buckingham claimed his maiden Yorkshire scalp when Davies edged to Brook at third slip, then Coad pinned Rob Yates.

It always looked a tall order – given the quality of bowlers at Yorkshire’s disposal – for Zen Malik, on first-class debut, and Hamza Shaikh, making just his eighth appearance, and so it proved, both perishing in successive deliveries as the visitors slipped further to 47-4.

Shaikh, trying to leave a sharply-rising delivery, was caught behind off Sears and then Hill struck with the first ball of the next over, trapping Malik leg-before propping forward.

Dan Mousley and Barnard restored calm with a stand of 59 in 16 overs, but Coad ended Mousley’s stay with the help of a catch at second slip by Lyth.

Dan Mousley and Barnard restored calm with a stand of 59, but Coad ended Mousley’s stay with the help of a catch at second slip by Lyth.

In the dying stages, Lyth took another there to dismiss Barnard off Sears, ending a 50 stand with Beau Webster, the contest poised.