Hampshire v Yorkshire LVCC Day 1 6th August

Tremlett's formidable bowling attack (Photo - Barry Zee)

Rudolph stands firm for Yorkshire

(ECB Match Report)

South African batsman Jacques Rudolph rescued Yorkshire with a defiant unbeaten 83 after a poor start in the LV County Championship Division One clash against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl.

Rudolph steered Yorkshire towards respectability in two important stands with Gerard Brophy and then David Wainwright as they reached 206 for seven at the close.

Yorkshire were left to regret their decision to bat first on a slow wicket after two hours had been lost to the effects of rain.

Before the start, a minute's silence was observed for David “Butch” White, the former Hampshire and England fast bowler who died last week aged 72.

After five balls, Yorkshire lost Andrew Gale to a sharply-rising delivery from Chris Tremlett without a run on the board.

Yorkshire's plight worsened on 17 when Anthony McGrath, back in the side after a hamstring injury, was out lbw to Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Chris Taylor was next to go with the total at 56 thanks to a diving catch by wicketkeeper Nic Pothas to give James Tomlinson the first of his three wickets.

Yorkshire continued to struggle after tea when Adam Lyth gave Mascarenhas a simple return catch to make it 82 for four.

All the while Rudolph held firm and began to repair the Yorkshire batting in a stand of 48 with Brophy that was dominated by the keeper, who made 36 of them before he was defeated by a sharp inswinger from Tomlinson.

Adil Rashid was the next to go, a little unluckily after turning Tomlinson into the leg side only to hit the ball fiercely straight at Michael Brown at short-leg, where he clutched the catch instinctively to his chest.

Yorkshire slumped to 145 for seven when Rana Naved-ul-Hasan attempted to hoist fellow Pakistani Imran Tahir out of the ground but succeeded only in losing his off-stump.

It was Tahir's first home wicket on his Rose Bowl debut after taking 17 wickets in his previous two matches for his new county.

Cautious Rudolph reached his half-century off 149 balls, including seven boundaries, and he found another useful ally in eighth-wicket partner Wainwright.

Together they put on an unbroken 61 for the eighth wicket as the Yorkshire batsmen at last began to dominate.

Rudolph was badly missed when he had made 78, edging Tahir to first slip where Sean Ervine put down the straightforward chance.

At the close Yorkshire had struggled to 206 for seven from 80 overs with Rudolph hitting 12 fours from 181 balls while the dogged Wainwright was unbeaten with 18.

Tomlinson, getting exaggerated movement at times, was the pick of the Hampshire bowlers and took his tally of first-class wickets for the season to 45 with three more at a cost of just 39.

Mascarenhas, dropped from the England one-day squad, gave little away from 21 accurate overs to finish with figures of 2-23.

On Day 2 the match starts at 11.00am and tickets are available on the gate priced at £15 for Adults, £12 Seniors/Students and £5 for Juniors (Under 16's)

Scorecard