JOE SAYERS recorded his first County Championship century in almost two years as Yorkshire dominated the first day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, closing on 258 for two.

The left-hander was unbeaten on 114 when bad light brought an early end to play, a 306-ball vigil that gives the White Rose county a platform to pressurise the home team for the remainder of the game.

“I’m pleased and very relieved, and it feels like a reward for all the hard work I’ve put in over the winter,” said the 25-year-old.

“I was a bit annoyed not to go on and build a big score [against Worcestershire] last week so I was desperate to put that right. I had mixed feelings not going on to make a big scorer and I want to go on and set the game up with an even bigger hundred.”

The innings offered redemption for Sayers after a miserable year last yeat that saw him exiled from the first team after scoring only 76 runs in the Championship at an average of just over eight.

Anthony McGrath called correctly for the first time in competitive cricket this season, and with Jacques Rudolph in immaculate form opening the innings, it would quickly prove to be a good toss to win.

Rudolph enjoyed a fruitful week with the bat at Headingley last week, falling only two short of a double century against Worcestershire in the Championship and recording a limited-overs ton against Gloucestershire.

And after surviving a sharp chance to Ian Bell at third slip on 25, the South African looked well set for three figures again before he gloved a short ball from Rikki Clarke on 62, and Tim Ambrose took a regulation catch behind the stumps.

Anthony McGrath took up the baton in partnership with Sayers and the two added 134 unbeaten for the third wicket before a second bad light interruption. The skipper was offered three lives en route to 46 not out, the biggest culprit being Chris Woakes who grassed a straightforward chance at mid-wicket when McGrath had reached 20.

Scoreboard

Warwickshire v Yorkshire At Edgbaston

Yorkshire Won Toss

Yorkshire First Innings Close

J A Rudolph c Ambrose b Clarke ..........62

J J Sayers not out .............................114

M P Vaughan c Troughton b Woakes ....16

A McGrath not out .............................46

Extras (b4 lb2 nb14 pens 0) ........20

Total 2 wkts (91.2 overs).....258

Fall: 1-93 2-124

To Bat: A W Gale, G L Brophy, A U Rashid, Naved-ul-Hasan, A Shahzad, G J Kruis, M J Hoggard.Woakes 21-7-53-1.

Rankin 16.2-3-47-0. Carter 15-2-53-0. Patel 16-1-50-0. Clarke 17-5-38-1. Trott 6-2-11-0