Saturday 22 April 2017 21:17, UK
England batsmen Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow registered single-figure scores on their return to domestic action as Yorkshire's top order capitulated against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.
Gareth Berg was left stranded on 99 as the hosts were all out for 455 but the all-rounder took out any frustration he may have had on the White Rose's batsmen, ending the day with 4-32 as Yorkshire slumped to 128-6.
Among his victims on day two of this Specsavers County Championship clash was new England Test captain Root, who made eight off 31 balls before edging a back-foot drive behind.
England team-mate Bairstow, like Root playing his first game of the Division One season, was then pinned lbw by Brad Wheal for seven as Yorkshire, having been 19-4, lurched to 46-5.
But captain Gary Ballance, who made a century in the reverse fixture earlier this month, withstood some sustained high-pressure bowling from Hampshire to end the day unbeaten on 63.
It was a forgettable day for other England batsmen as Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed struggled for Essex and Lancashire, respectively.
Cook made a hundred against Somerset last week but contributed only 14 against Middlesex at Lord's before being caught behind off Toby Roland-Jones.
Essex closed on 120-4 in response to 507-7 declared from Middlesex, for whom Stevie Eskinazi became their third centurion of the innings following Sam Robson (149) and Nick Gubbins (101) on day one. John Simpson added a rapid 90.
Hameed, meanwhile, avoided a pair against Somerset but contributed just seven in Lancashire's second innings. But Alex Davies and stand-in captain Liam Livingstone's unbroken 129-run stand helped the Red Rose close to within 17 at Emirates Old Trafford.
Somerset's 278 all out gifted them a sizeable 169-run first-innings advantage before Lancashire slipped to 23-2, but Davies' unbeaten 78 and Livingstone's 57 not out steered the home side to 152-2.
Mark Stoneman's second century of the season, plus 98 not out from Kumar Sangakkara, lifted Surrey to 299-3 in response to Warwickshire's 332 all out at Edgbaston.
Stoneman was eventually dismissed for 123 but his efforts have put Surrey in the driving seat against a side who have lost their first two matches.
