Yorkshire v Hampshire: Shahzad shines at Headingley to hand Yorkshire advantage

It was not a day’s cricket that will linger in the memory. Two hundred and forty runs were scored for the loss of nine wickets in 91.4 overs. Throw in frequent weather interruptions and it made for generally sedate stuff in a season that had hitherto brought only sunshine and sensation. Hampshire closed day two on 189-6 in reply to Yorkshire’s first innings 355, Ajmal Shahzad doing his utmost to enliven proceedings with a late four-wicket burst completely out of keeping with what had gone before. With more showers forecast it is anyone’s guess whether there will be a positive result, but Shahzad’s intervention has given Yorkshire hope of a second Championship win of the summer – and one that would be especially timely after Sussex’s nine-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire relegated Yorkshire to seventh place. If Yorkshire can achieve a reasonable lead this morning, they could yet take the weather out of the equation. They are certainly well-placed to gain an important advantage. Having recovered from 99-5 on the opening day to achieve a total that looked beyond their compass, they bowled with commendable discipline to peg back a Hampshire team still seeking their first Championship win. This has been a game in which bowlers have so far prospered over batsmen. First to shine yesterday was Dominic Cork, who bowled an unbroken spell of 17.4-7-15-2 from the Kirkstall Lane to complete a return of 5-75 from 37.4 overs. Yorkshire’s pace men were also more Ebenezer Scrooge than Father Christmas. Shahzad bowled with searing speed and no little proficiency on his way to 4-48 from 14 overs, Tim Bresnan (1-29 from 16 overs) and Ryan Sidebottom (1-35 from 16 overs) providing frugal support as the trio performed together for the first time in four-day cricket this season. On a cloudy morning blown along by a brisk wind, Yorkshire resumed on 304-7. Their first priority should have been the attainment of 46 runs in 14 overs to reach 350 and claim a fourth batting bonus point before the 110-over cut-off mark. Due to a combination of disciplined bowling and their own inertia, however, Yorkshire managed only 13 runs in those 14 overs in a less than riveting start to proceedings. They lost Bresnan in the eighth over of the day when the England man was caught behind to give Kabir Ali his 450th first-class wicket, thereby ending a stand of 108 in 43 overs with Shahzad. Bresnan added only five to his overnight 82 but his innings – allied to Jonny Bairstow’s belligerent 83 – did much to dig Yorkshire out of another hole of the top-order’s making. Having scored 42 on the opening day, Shahzad had designs on a sizeable contribution. He is the type of fellow who likes to go for his shots but was unusually circumspect during a morning in which Yorkshire added just 39 in 22.5 overs. Shahzad had a life on 48 when he was dropped at first slip by Neil McKenzie off Cork, a straightforward chance at comfortable height. McKenzie juggled the ball as though auditioning for the Royal Variety Performance, Cork reacting to the faux pas with surprising equanimity. Shahzad struggled to get going and was stuck on 48 for 35 minutes. Eventually, after 75 minutes’ play, Cork put him out of his misery, Liam Dawson clutching a good catch low at second slip. When Sidebottom strode into the cool of a soporific battle and promptly pulled David Griffiths to the West Stand boundary, it was the equivalent of being jolted awake by a car alarm. The former England left-armer got lucky with a couple of edges past a static slip cordon but again proved he is no mug with the willow. When Cork claimed his fifth wicket by bowling Steve Patterson, ending the innings at 1.45pm, Sidebottom was unbeaten on 25 – a potentially useful contribution in the context of the match. Hampshire’s reply began studiously, Jimmy Adams and Dawson adding 42 in 16 overs before Dawson went lbw to Shahzad’s second ball from the Kirkstall Lane. It was a superb delivery that seemed to defeat the batsman for pace and also appeared to keep a touch low. Hampshire fell to 69-2 when Adams was caught behind driving loosely at Bresnan – and then to 97-3 when McKenzie was smartly held at first slip by Adam Lyth off Shahzad. Shahzad produced another fine ball to have James Vince lbw with the total on 114, Sidebottom reducing Hampshire to 155-5 when he bowled Nic Pothas with another first-rate prune. Johann Myburgh batted well for 64 but, like Adams, was caught behind off a loose drive as Shahzad moved to the cusp of a five-wicket haul.