THE sun shone, Yorkshire made hay and there was little at the Riverside yesterday to detract from the theory that bowlers are a threatened species.

They are threatened partly by global warming, which in a spring like this produces the sort of pitches seen at the Oval in August instead of the green-top on which Durham thrashed Surrey in their opening match three years ago.

As the countdown clock attached to the scoreboard reminds us, the Riverside is now only 56 days away from staging its first Test match and it must have a pitch fit for the occasion.

Such tracks spell hard work for the bowlers and of the eight tried by Durham yesterday it was the novice striving to make an impression who stood out.

Teessider Liam Plunkett, who spent a chunk of the winter on tour with England Under-19s, hurried the batsmen as much as anyone on the easy-paced surface as Yorkshire amassed 472 for seven in the two-day practice match.

New skipper Anthony McGrath made 108 and the man who held the reins at the end of last season, Richard Blakey, plundered runs almost at will in thrashing 118.

He reached his hundred off 99 balls and continued to threaten the workmen who, in opposite corners of the ground, are constructing a health and fitness centre and a bank of 2,000 permanent seats.

While Yorkshire start next week, Durham still have a fortnight to wait for their opening Championship match at Taunton.

They will have temporary overseas man Javagal Srinath and Stephen Harmison available to open the bowling, and there should be fierce competition among yesterday's crew to provide the back-up.

Nicky Hatch made a promising start, while the experienced Neil Killeen appeared all too aware that there is a long season ahead and Ian Hunter was trying to settle into a more economical run-up.

Spinner Graeme Bridge picked up a couple of wickets from attempted big hits once the total had passed 300, but the best bowling was Plunkett's one for ten in his first five-over spell.

While everyone was punished for dropping short, Plunkett showed a refreshing willingness to try the yorker.

He had a sharp chance put down at first slip by new signing Vince Wells before earning his reward with an lbw verdict against opener Matthew Wood.

After paying his own way to go back to the ECB Academy during the winter, Wood looked ready to shrug off last summer's disappointing form as he made an impressive 56.

There was also a half-century for Chris Taylor and only Scott Richardson missed the boat as he was trapped lbw on the back foot for ten by Killeen.

McGrath had made only nine when he lobbed a leading edge back over Killeen's head, otherwise there were few flaws.

Three fours through the covers off Nicky Phillips took him to his 50 and he raced to his hundred before edging the persevering Mark Davies to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.

* South African fielding legend Jonty Rhodes yesterday admitted to being ''really excited'' about his first season in county cricket after being unveiled by Gloucestershire, writes MYLES HODGSON.

The 33-year-old has declared himself fit to start the season after he suffered a broken right hand during the World Cup game with Kenya two months ago.

Rhodes said: ''The hand has healed fine. When I had the pins taken out three weeks ago, the professor said to give it ten days before trying to catch any balls.

''But I was in the nets every day last week and happily hitting the ball.''