End of Day One: Yorkshire vs Leeds/Bradford MCCU - Friendly

Yorkshire had an encouraging start to the home summer against Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities at Headingley.

George Hill's unbeaten 82 and Fin Bean's 62 underpinned the innings as the county closed the first of three days against the students on 294-5 in the 47th over. The play ended half an hour early at 5.30 pm due to bad light.

Bean and Lyth shared an opening partnership of 114 runs, setting the tone for the day. Following a delayed start until 1.40 pm due to a wet outfield, Lyth made 34 runs before Hill surpassed both of them to become the top scorer from number four.

Bean and Lyth were left-handed openers who starred in last summer’s Vitality County Championship, scoring a combined total of 2,002 runs - 1,019 and 983 respectively.

They similarly began 2024 against an opponent who faced challenging bowling conditions during the two available sessions of play.

Bean scored 13 fours from 57 balls, while Hill hit 12 fours and a six in 83 balls.

Play was delayed due to rain before the game, and the bowlers' run-ups remained greasy.

The students' performance was mixed, with 42 no balls and 53 extras conceded.

However, they improved as the day went on, and seamer Kurtis Watson impressed with three wickets, finishing with 3-48 from eight overs. He is a fast bowler born in Preston with experience playing for Lancashire's second team.

The match began with four byes down the leg side off the first ball, which was tipped around the corner by Yorkshire's wicketkeeper Harry Duke, who is playing in this fixture for the visitors due to his university commitments in Leeds.

They caused Lyth particular trouble during his 60-ball innings at the crease.

He was fortunate to survive on 24 after being deceived by new ball seamer Toby Porter and edging the ball to first slip. Later, he was dismissed by Watson as the score fell to 114-1 in the 17th over.

At this point, midway through the afternoon, the watery sunshine had given way to grey clouds and the need for floodlights.

Meanwhile, Bean appeared to be in excellent form.

This young player had a successful breakthrough year and recently attended an England Lions batting camp in Mumbai.

He demonstrated proficiency on both sides of the wicket, executing sweetly timed cover drives and eye-catching pull shots.

Unfortunately, in the 19th over, he clipped Watson low down to square-leg resulting in a score of 131-2.

James Wharton followed four overs later, edging Watson behind to Duke, who took a superb one-handed catch diving in front of first slip. This left Yorkshire at 146-3 after 23 overs.

Hill was on 25 by the time tea was taken, with Yorkshire at 172-3 after 26 overs.

Hill scored 50 runs off 49 balls, doubling his score within the first 40 minutes of the evening. He hit a glorious straight driven boundary, his eighth in total, off Stanley Brown. At this point, Yorkshire were 228-3 with Jonny Tattersall on 25.

Hill appeared to be in little trouble.

After reaching his fifty, he advanced at the left-arm spin of Joe Pocklington and lofted his third ball for four over mid-on's head.

He shared a 103-run partnership with Tattersall for the fourth wicket, split by tea.

Tattersall, who is captaining Yorkshire in this match, contributed 35 runs before being caught at cover off the left-arm spin of Joe Pocklington. This took the score to 249-4 in the 40th over.

Hill had a close call when he nearly miscued a catch to mid-on, but he managed to survive. He hit a six over mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Joe Pocklington, but unfortunately, Matthew Revis was bowled by a Calum Fletcher in-ducker on the last ball of the day.