Yorkshire started their game with Durham by turning the gas on right from the start. They displayed their breathtaking collegiate level offensive prowess and disciplined gauntlet of defense in this nailbiter. One round of play later, New Zealand were 295 for 8 – seven wickets left, mission accomplished. Bad light brought an early end to play after just 15 overs. This kind of performance bodes very well for the rest of the game.
That strong foundation was laid early on by Yorkshire’s James Wharton, whose aggressive 69 set the tone. His innings was a careful mix of patience and aggression, allowing Yorkshire to set up a strong platform. Wharton brought up his half-century off 85 deliveries, showing he is more than able to build an innings when the pressure is on.
George Hill stepped up too, contributing with a quick-fire 64. Hill’s innings was marked by careful shot selection, allowing him to effectively rotate the strike while keeping the scoreboard ticking. He completed his half-century in only 71 balls, announcing himself as an exciting new force on the international stage.
From the outset, Dom Bess forced a great impression. He built on his impressive recent second-innings century against Worcestershire with a rapid 57 not out. It was a pulled six from Bess that served to underscore just how dangerous he could be with the bat on his day. He brought up his half-century off just 62 balls to emphasize Yorkshire’s intent to attack throughout in their batting display.
Yorkshire’s captain, Jonny Bairstow, contributed to the team’s total with a brief yet impactful innings of 22 runs from 27 balls. Bairstow continued to have a struggle to get off the mark, taking 11 balls to score his first run. But he settled in rapidly, taking a liking — as ever — to ex-England colleague Matt Potts, clattering five fours in six balls. His innings finally ended when he tried to pull Brendan Doggett over deep midwicket.
Even as Hampshire’s big guns were doing well, it was evident that Yorkshire were struggling at various points of the innings. Will Rhodes caught Mathew Revis at first slip to take his wicket. This represented the loss of their sixth wicket, meaning a challenging struggle against Durham’s Nick Friedli-inspired bowling assault awaited.
Durham’s Australian overseas seamer Brendan Doggett made an impact on his first appear with a scintillating 4 for 69. With crack pace at the other end his nagging accuracy ensured Yorkshire were always in the game. It was instrumental in ending collaborations and continuing pressure on the batting team.
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