Rain-shortened day sees Billy Root run out for Glamorgan

Glamorgan opener Billy Root scored a half-century against a Yorkshire side that included his older brother Joe on a weather-softened opening day of the Vitality County Championship clash at Headingley.

Left-hander Billy, 31 and almost two years younger than Joe, struck a measured 51 off 95 balls before lunch as Glamorgan closed on 109 for four from 41 overs after electing to bat first.

Rain forced a three-and-a-half hour delay from 1.45pm before Yorkshire struck twice quickly in the delayed and mini evening session. Poor light then meant no play after 6pm.

Yorkshire fielded two frontline spinners Dan Moriarty and Dom Bess on the pitch used in last weekend's draw with Derbyshire. Neither bowler played in that match but both have taken a wicket apiece here.

In fact, this is the first time since 2013 that Yorkshire has used two spinners in the same Championship match at Headingley. Adil Rashid and Azeem Rafiq played in a draw against Warwickshire in August that year and shared one wicket between them.

Moriarty and Bess matched that haul in the morning session, the former coming with the last ball before lunch when the left-armer had Root caught at short-leg to leave Glamorgan 92 for two after 32 overs.

This is not a ground known for favouring spin, but the hosts are desperate for a first win in their fifth game of the season to kick-start their bid for promotion to Division Two.

Earlier, Coad had Eddie Byrom lbw to make it 18 for one. Root drove well against seam and swept and reverse-swept against spin during a 74-run stand with skipper Sam Northeast, who made 29 before being dismissed in the evening.

Root versus Root has happened three times in county cricket, with Billy playing for either Nottinghamshire or Glamorgan. Ahead of this match, England's Joe described the experience of facing his brother as a "horrible situation".

But they have both done well against each other in the past.

In the two Championship matches they played in early 2021 - both draws between these two counties - Billy scored a century at Headingley and Joe 99 at Cardiff.

In the first major innings of the match, Joe failed to hold a difficult catch at first slip off new-ball seamer Coad with Billy on six.

Coad then had Byrom lbw on the crease before Root got an inside-edge to the pad off Moriarty and looped a catch to Fin Bean at short leg.

Off-spinner Bess makes his first appearance of the season after some encouraging form for Yorkshire's second team.

When play resumed at 5.30pm after the afternoon rain, Northeast was dismissed with two balls to spare, leaving Glamorgan on 96 for three in the 34th over.

Matthew Fisher got a hand to a crisp drive from Kiran Carlson and deflected it onto the stumps.

Bess then had Carlson caught and bowled off an inside edge with the first ball of his second over, his first of the session - 97 for four.

Moriarty finished with one for 29 from his 15 overs and Bess with one for 14 from his four overs.

Both sides are looking for their first win in 2024.

While Yorkshire have drawn three and lost one, Glamorgan have drawn all three and came into this match bottom of the fledgling Division Two table.

The match was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of Worcestershire spinner Josh Baker, whose death at the age of 20 was announced on Thursday.