Report & Reaction: Yorkshire v Hampshire Men, Rothesay County Championship

Day 1: Yorkshire 48-4 trail Hampshire 251 all out by 203 runs.

By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

George Hill’s impressive five for 46 from 13.1 overs for Yorkshire and three wickets in a devastating over for Hampshire’s speedster Sonny Baker headlined a bowling day at the start of this Rothesay County Championship match at Headingley.

There was a nod to Yorkshire’s future and past today, with seam-bowling all-rounder Hill - aged 23 - coming up against Jake Lehmann, the son of White Rose batting legend Darren, who top-scored with a well-paced 76 in 251 all out.

Both impressed in what was looking like Yorkshire’s day. That was until England Test hopeful Baker tore in late in the day to trap Sam Whiteman lbw and bowl Ben Coad and James Wharton as the home reply fell to 37 for four inside 19 overs.

Yorkshire ended the day tottering at 48 for four from 24.

After Hampshire were inserted, left-handed Lehmann’s 11 fours in 93 balls looked as if it was keeping the visitors afloat in helpful bowling conditions. It now looks more likely that it has laid the platform for them to thrive.

This was Lehmann junior’s first Hampshire fifty having signed as a local in the winter courtesy of a UK passport.

He briefly represented Yorkshire as an overseas player in late 2016.

While Yorkshire made two changes from their opening round draw at Glamorgan - Jhye Richardson and wicketkeeper Harry Duke for Logan van Beek and fractured thumb victim Jonny Bairstow - Hampshire were unchanged from their innings home defeat to Essex.

The hosts made the ideal start through Australian Test quick Richardson, whose ninth ball forced Joe Weatherley to push forwards and feather behind, leaving the score at one for one.

Opener Nick Gubbins, whose University days were spent in Leeds, drove nicely to lead the fightback against some early assistance for the quicks but fell just after lunch for 43 when he was caught at third slip off Jack White’s always-at-you, skilful seam.

That left Hampshire at 95 for three, with Tom Prest having fallen just before the break when trapped lbw by Hill for 35. Gubbins and Prest had shared a second-wicket 75.

Visiting captain Ben Brown was also pinned lbw as he advanced at Hill’s seam amidst a bright start to the afternoon for Yorkshire at 111 for four.

Lehmann’s presence at number four was the beginning of Hampshire’s revival in tandem with teenager Ben Mayes, who contributed 39 to an 88-run partnership.

Lehmann, strong through the off-side off front and back foot, reached his fifty off 65 balls during their alliance.

However, Mayes and Liam Dawson departed soon afterwards - bowled by captain Dom Bess’s off-spin and caught behind off Ben Coad’s seam - to tip the balance back towards Yorkshire at 204 for six.

Further success came quickly, with Hill to the fore. He struck twice in four balls in the 60th over, getting Codi Yusuf and Kyle Abbott lbw to leave the score at 222 for eight.

Left-handed Lehmann continued to stand firm as the majority of those struggled around him.

By tea, the 33-year-old had reached 70, and there are some who believe his mannerisms at the crease make him a spit of his old man - a legend in these parts thanks to his exploits through the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Metronomic Coad - two for 47 from 19 - then uprooted Eddie Jack’s off-stump before Hill’s sixth first-class five-for was completed when Lehmann holed out at deep mid-wicket to end the Hampshire innings.

But ball continued to dominate bat.

South African new-ball pair Abbott and Yusuf kept things very tight, the former rewarded when Fin Bean attempted to leave alone and lost his off-stump with the score on seven.

Then it was all about Baker’s burst, with the 23-year-old two-time limited overs international on a hat-trick following the wickets of nightwatchman Coad and Wharton.

Coad played on and Wharton was yorked as brilliant Baker finished with three for 16 from five overs.