Yorkshire continue to display early signs of promise

And so, on current evidence, have the Yorkshire team, who have started their season in encouraging style.

Another riveting day of Championship cricket, which ended with Yorkshire 16-1 in reply to Somerset's 272, contained plenty of positives for Andrew Gale's men.

They bowled and fielded with commendable discipline and could be content with their efforts on an intriguing first day.

Fresh from their four-wicket win against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, which represented a superb start to Gale's tenure as captain, Yorkshire fought tenaciously against a Somerset side who finished third in last year's First Division on the back of just three victories – two against Yorkshire.

The five frontline bowlers all picked up wickets – the excellent Tim Bresnan leading the way with 3-48 – and Yorkshire never allowed Somerset to get away after Marcus Trescothick won the toss on a cool, overcast morning.

Had it not been for the timeless Trescothick, who scored a magnificent, chanceless 117, Yorkshire would have been firmly in the ascendancy as only Peter Trego (45) also passed 30.

As it was, the contest is nicely poised after the re-laid Headingley surface proved as refreshingly competitive as the one at Edgbaston, with counties seemingly committed to producing more entertaining cricket this year now that 16 points are on offer for a win and only three for a draw – as opposed to 14 for a win and four for a draw in 2009.

After Yorkshire omitted seam bowler Steve Patterson and recalled left-arm spinner David Wainwright in the only change to the side that prevailed in the West Midlands, Somerset began in a fashion that might have had Trescothick questioning whether he made the right decision to bat first.

Ajmal Shahzad, the pick of the bowlers early on, struck the first blow when he produced a ball that angled away from Arul Suppiah, who edged to wicketkeeper Jonathan Bairstow.

Then, after Bresnan produced a steady opening burst from the Kirkstall Lane end, Gale turned to Oliver Hannon-Dalby, whose splendid first over contained the wicket of Nick Compton lbw to the fifth delivery as the visitors slipped to 35-2.

Hannon-Dalby, 20, looks to have a promising career ahead and is another in the long line of pace bowlers reared by the evergreen Steve Oldham, Yorkshire's redoubtable bowling coach.

Strikingly tall at 6ft 8ins and with a smooth, well-oiled run-up, Hannon-Dalby seems the type of bowler who always has a wicket in his locker – a priceless attribute.

Following those early inroads, the rest of the morning belonged to Somerset as Trescothick and James Hildreth took them to lunch on 107-2.

Trescothick went to his half-century from 46 deliveries with 10 fours, while Hildreth ticked over in useful support.

Yorkshire needed to reassert themselves after the break and, right on cue, Bresnan produced a clinical burst which reduced Somerset from 121-2 to 139-5.

Hildreth went lbw for 30 and Zander de Bruyn was caught in the gully by Joe Sayers, the South African visibly stymied by some impressively tight bowling from Bresnan and Hannon-Dalby.

When the dangerous Craig Kieswetter also fell lbw (one of six batsmen trapped in front on a day when the ball occasionally kept low), Bresnan had taken

3-10 in 26 balls and showed why Yorkshire will miss him when he departs for the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup along with Shahzad.

Bresnan kept Trescothick quiet after lunch, although there was a certain inevitability the former England opener would reach his hundred, which duly arrived when he drove leg-spinner Adil Rashid through mid-on to the foot of the North East Stand.

Trescothick's 40th first-class century was perhaps one of his finest, and it came as something of a surprise when Rashid had him lbw shortly before tea.

Trego, whose blistering hundred demolished Yorkshire at Taunton last summer when the home side incredibly chased down 476, produced some delightful strokes before chopping on to Hannon-Dalby.

The last three wickets were shared by Rashid and David Wainwright as Somerset were dismissed inside 76 overs.

Adam Lyth fell lbw to the second ball of Yorkshire's reply as Charl Willoughby summoned one that kept low, while Somerset may live to regret missing Sayers on nought when Trego dropped him at third slip off Damien Wright before bad light ended play with 11 overs remaining.

Yorkshire v Somerset

Headingley Carnegie: Somerset won toss.

Yorkshire (3pts) trail Somerset (2) by 256 with 9 first inns wkts standing.

Somerset First Innings

M E Trescothick lbw b A U Rashid 117

A V Suppiah c Bairstow b Shahzad 5

N R D Compton lbw b Hannon-Dalby 6

J C Hildreth lbw b Bresnan 30

Z de Bruyn c Sayers b Bresnan 4

C Kieswetter lbw b Bresnan 7

P D Trego b Hannon-Dalby 45

D G Wright c Shahzad b A U Rashid 21

A C Thomas lbw b Wainwright 8

D A Stiff not out 12

C M Willoughby c Rudolph b Wainwright4

Extras lb11 nb2 pens 0 13

Total (75.4 overs) 272

Fall: 1-12 2-35 3-121 4-127 5-139 6-206 7-244 8-252 9-264.

Bowling: Bresnan 17 3 48 3; Shahzad 14 3 54 1; Hannon-Dalby 17 3 54 2; McGrath 5 1 22 0; Wainwright 13.4 0 42 2; A U Rashid 9 1 41 2.

Yorkshire First Innings

A Lyth lbw b Willoughby 0

J J Sayers not out 7

A McGrath not out 6

Extras w1 nb2 3

Total 1 wkt (7 overs) 16

Fall: 1-0.

To Bat: J A Rudolph, A W Gale, J M Bairstow, T T Bresnan, A U Rashid, A Shahzad, O J Hannon-Dalby, D J Wainwright.

Bowling: Willoughby 4 1 10 1; D G Wright 3 1 6 0.

Umpires: N J Llong and N A Mallender.