Yorkshire recover from tough start to pressure Notts

APD NEWS

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Yorkshire recovered from a tricky first session to gain the upper hand against Nottinghamshire on day one.

The Tykes lost Gary Ballance for a duck and ex-Outlaw Cheteshwar Pujara for two as they struggled to 107-5 at lunch.

Luke Fletcher claimed 4-47 for Notts, but Andy Hodd (62) and a 10th-wicket partnership worth 44 runs guided Yorkshire to a total of 256.

Steven Mullaney fell to Jack Brooks (3-11) off the second ball of Notts' reply as the hosts faltered to 53-4 at close.

Brooks also shone with the bat at Headingley, finishing 30 not out as he and Ben Coad (18) earned Yorkshire a second batting point before their innings was ended after tea.

Notts - who began life back in Division One with a six-wicket win against Lancashire last week - were 6-3 after just 19 balls of their reply, with Mullaney and Nash both dismissed by seamer Brooks.

Samit Patel also went cheaply in his 200th first-class match, dismissed for four, but Ross Taylor survived on 34 not out.

The visitors will need their middle order and tail to match Yorkshire's to stay in touch going into the second innings.

Yorkshire's Jack Brooks:

"We're happy. We're in a pretty good position. If we nip a couple out early and the tail's exposed, hopefully we can get a lead.

"If you get stuck in and make 300 or bat most of the day, you're reasonably happy on a pitch like that. It's not quite as quick as the bowlers would like, but they bowled well, to be fair to the Notts lads.

"I'm underrated at 10. I should be batting nine, shouldn't I? It's nice to bat with Hoddy. He's always positive, and we have a bit of fun together. Then, that last wicket partnership, we tried to have a dip to get another point and it came off."

Notts seamer Luke Fletcher:

"After that first spell, I felt in good rhythm and beat the bat. It was nice to get the rewards. It was a good day's cricket. It's hard graft. Once you get through the new ball, it's a different game.

"The difference between Division One and Two is that most lads down the bottom of the order can hold a bat. Brooksy has a first-class hundred, and Coad and Shaw can hold a bat.

"The days have gone of absolute rabbits down the bottom end. That's something we need to get used to in this division and be better at."

(BBC)