Yorkshire make light of off-field dramas to dominate opening exchanges

Yorkshire's top order ensured a settled start to their Rothesay County Championship clash with leaders Surrey at Scarborough after their build-up was anything but.

Hovering just three points above the drop zone in Division One after nine matches, Yorkshire ended an engaging opening day on a healthy 282 for four from 86 overs.

Fin Bean, Will Luxton and James Wharton all posted half-centuries against a Surrey attack who struggled to create consistent pressure having lost the toss.

Bean (57) shared an opening stand of 107 with Adam Lyth either side of lunch before Luxton and Wharton usurped them by sharing 149 for the third wicket either side of tea. Luxton posted a career best 71 off 118 balls and Wharton went on to top score with a season's best 78 off 166.

Yorkshire's management arrived at the ground not knowing whether their captain and new overseas signing Jonny Bairstow and Imam-ul-Haq would be able to play due to the former's impending arrival of another child and the latter's visa issues.

Bairstow made it, Imam didn't. Yorkshire are also missing talismanic 37-wicket all-rounder George Hill having not sufficiently recovered from a foot injury.

Not that the disruption showed on the field, as Bairstow elected to bat and then watched Bean, Lyth, Wharton and Luxton excel on a pitch offering spongy bounce and not as much pace as is usual at this North Marine Road venue.

Yorkshire's progress was largely serene.

Bean was dropped at third slip by Dom Sibley off former Yorkshire fast bowler Matthew Fisher during the early stages, and there were a couple of confident lbw shouts.

But Surrey's bowlers struggled to find the right lines and lengths.

When they did, they gained success. Dan Worrall - three for 49 from 16 overs - removed Lyth and then Bean in the space of three balls in the 33rd over, leaving the hosts at 108 for two.

That came during the early stages of the afternoon.

Lunch had came 15 minutes early because of rain.

Worrall struck when he had Lyth caught at first slip with a ball not quite there to drive before getting Bean caught at wide mid-on following an aborted pull at well directed short ball.

Just when you thought Surrey would assert their authority, Wharton and Luxton had other ideas.

Luxton, aged 22, enjoyed an impressive recent Vitality Blast in a struggling side highlighted by a superb 90 not out in a Roses win at Emirates Old Trafford.

He wouldn't have played in this game had Imam been available. But Yorkshire pulled him out of the Professional County Clubs Select XI squad to face Pakistan A in three one-day matches to feature here, and he has taken his chance with only a second first-class fifty in his 10 career appearance.

Imam, incidentally, was at the ground and warmed up with his team-mates before play.

Yorkshire say they are working with his agent and the relevant authorities to resolve his visa issues in time for next week's clash with Sussex on this ground.

Luxton is a dynamic player who often looks a million dollars, as he did here on the drive and working off his legs.

His next challenge is consistency.

Wharton lofted the off-spin of Will Jacks down the ground for six before tea, and Luxton whipped Jamie Overton's pace off his legs for the same result afterwards.

Jacks broke the Wharton and Luxton alliance when he bowled the latter, who was aggressively sweeping - 257 for three after 77 overs.

That was a significant boost for Surrey just before the new ball was due.

Worrall then had Wharton caught behind for his third wicket of the day - 276 for four in the 83rd over.

But Bairstow had reached 19 by the time bad light prevented any further play at 5.20pm.