Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire (County Championship) : Day One

THE green shoots of a Michael Vaughan recovery lit up an otherwise dismal day at Headingley as the weather washed out two sessions of play to frustrate Yorkshire and prevent new boy Morne Morkel from waiting his long awaited debut.

Vaughan has endured a nightmare start to the domestic season, having made just 37 runs in four innings since the warm-up game with Leeds, Bradford UCCE last month but he looked in much better touch yesterday as Yorkshire defied the difficult conditions to reach 55 for one, with only 30 overs possible on day one.

He ended the day unbeaten on 25, having hit five boundaries in just under two hours, and although he was fortunate, twice, to see an edge fly past the slips on its way to the boundary, who would begrudge the England captain such fortune after his recent struggle?

His score looks even better when the excellent bowling of Ryan Sidebottom is added to the equation. Vaughan's international team-mate looked very confident, bowling an incredible seven consecutive maidens at the start of his spell, although all credit must go to Joe Sayers, whose patience was near endless before he eventually steered him away to third man for a single to break the bowler's momentum.

Vaughan wasn't in nearly such a conservative mood as the opener twice found the boundary before the end of the over.

Sidebottom did much of the work but it was Mark Ealham who finally brought Sayers' stubborn resistance to an end, bowling the four-day specialist for nine from 72 balls with a delivery that nipped back through the gate and into off stump.

Anthony McGrath joined Vaughan at the crease and soon after there was mild confusion as play had to be stopped because of a fox on the pitch, the animal calmly made it's way across the outfield before being somewhat comically chased into the stand and McGrath showed all the cunning of the creature that had just wandered around Headingley to smash a beautiful boundary off the very next ball, lashing Stuart Broad for four through deep point.

The veterans steered the home side to an early tea from which they would not return, a torrential downpour bringing the day's action to a premature end.

Martin Moxon's confidence in the batting capabilities of his side is such that he was keen to bat first, even on a wicket soaked by overnight rain that seemed to promise much to the attack.

It was a decision that was particularly brave against an opposition who can boast almost as much venom with the ball as Yorkshire, with the likes of Sidebottom, Mark Ealham, Stuart Broad and Charlie Shreck all more than capable of causing problems.

If Yorkshire can edge their way to a good score they will be very confident after their innings victory over Hampshire last week, especially with new addition Morkel champing at the bit to get his white rose career off and running.

It remains to be seen whether the weather will have the final say, however, with the forecast looking worrying at best.

SCORECARD
Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire
At Headingley Carnegie. Yorkshire Won Toss
Yorkshire First Innings Close
J J Sayers b Ealham 9
M P Vaughan not out 25
A McGrath not out 14
Extras (lb3 pens 0) 3
Total 1 wkt (30.2 overs) 51
Fall: 1-33
To Bat: J A Rudolph, A W Gale, A U Rashid, G L
Brophy, T T Bresnan, D Gough, M Morkel, M J
Hoggard.
Bowling: Sidebottom 8.2-7-9-0. Shreck 9-5-19-
0. Broad 7-3-14-0. Ealham 6-3-6-1.