Top order get Yorkshire off to a promising start

YORKSHIRE'S top order ensured a settled start to their Rothesay County Championship clash with leaders Surrey at Scarborough after their buildup was anything but.

- By GRAHAM HARDCASTLE, ECB REPORTERS NETWORK SUPPORTED BY ROTHESAY

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 top scored 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.