Yorkshire hit back against Bears as wickets tumble

BBC News

02-05-2025

Rothesay County Championship Division One, Headingley (day one)Yorkshire 205: Bairstow 47, Thompson 35; Bamber 5-47, Barnard 3-53Warwickshire 161-6: Barnard 41, Mousley 32, Webster 32*; Coad 2-30 Bonus points: Yorkshire 2pts, Warwickshire 3ptsMatch scorecard
Ethan Bamber claimed his first five-wicket haul in a Warwickshire shirt as they and star-studded Yorkshire traded blows during a 16-wicket opening day of their County Championship Division One fixture at Headingley.Bamber moved from Middlesex over the winter and is playing his fourth match for the Bears, who won the toss on a green pitch and bowled their hosts out for 205 to signal an early tea.His 5-47 from 15.2 overs included the scalp of England's new limited overs captain Harry Brook for a frantic 33, while impressive three-wicket all-rounder Ed Barnard got Joe Root for one and Jonny Bairstow for 47.Warwickshire, for whom wicketkeeper Kai Smith claimed five catches, closed on 161-6 from 43 overs in reply, trailing by 44, with Barnard top-scoring with 41.
Warwickshire were six points better off than their opponents in the early Division One table after three matches, and they edged the morning as Yorkshire reached lunch at 97-4.Having left Fin Bean out, Yorkshire used Dom Bess as a locum opener alongside Adam Lyth, who contributed 26. Bess, for 16, was first to go when he got an inside-edge to a Bamber delivery which nipped back and was caught behind.Smith took three morning catches, including James Wharton off Bamber at the second attempt. He fumbled the initial chance but held the rebound between his thighs.When Root played at a back-of-a-length delivery from Barnard which he probably did not need to, edging low to second slip, Yorkshire were 32-3.Lyth followed to Hannon-Dalby before Brook made an action-packed start to his innings. Although he drove nicely, he danced down the pitch twice looking to hit over the top and survived a huge caught behind appeal off Michael Booth.Brook failed to add to his lunchtime 33 when miscuing an attempted uppercut off Bamber to Hamza Shaikh at third - to leave the score 97-5, three balls into the afternoon.George Hill followed shortly afterwards to the same bowler before Bairstow and Jordan Thompson united to share a vital seventh-wicket 61, as Thompson supported his captain with 35.There were signs of Bairstow - making his 100th Championship appearance - at his savage best. But there was finesse too. One straight drive off Barnard was as good as any shot all day.However, Barnard removed both as Yorkshire fell to 185-9. Thompson was caught behind before Bairstow played on.New Zealand bowler Ben Sears then clobbered a late 28 to sneak Yorkshire beyond 200 before edging Bamber into the slips.
Wickets continued to fall in the evening as after Alex Davies (10) and Rob Yates (14) shared an opening 30, Warwickshire lost four for 17 inside eight overs.Davies edged debutant Jordan Buckingham's new-ball seam to third slip before Yates was trapped lbw by Ben Coad.And when Shaikh gloved pacy Sears behind for three as he tried to leave alone, followed by Zen Malik (10) trapped lbw by Hill next ball, the hosts were back in it at 47-4.Barnard then set about settling the situation and drove nicely.He shared 59 with Dan Mousley - who contributed 32 before edging Coad to second slip - and a sixth-wicket 50 with Australia debutant Beau Webster, who ended on 32 not out.However, Barnard was caught at second slip off Sears late on, almost the last act of a super day's play.
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