Collymore puts Yorkshire under cosh

West Indian Corey Collymore produced a fine opening spell of 2-10 off nine overs to give Sussex the upper hand over Yorkshire

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A fine opening spell from Corey Collymore put Sussex in charge of a rain-affected first day of their LV=County Championship clash with Yorkshire at Headingley Carnegie.

Collymore picked up two early wickets in helpful conditions after heavy overnight rain and a soaking outfield meant play was unable to start until 4.10pm, with 38 overs to be bowled in the day.

After winning the toss, Yorkshire soon found themselves reduced to 19 for two but the hosts recovered to 58 without further loss by the time bad light stopped play with seven overs remaining.

Yorkshire were without former England paceman Matthew Hoggard, who was unwell, and they brought in 18-year-old off-spinner Azeem Rafiq for his first-class debut.

“Matthew was sick earlier in the day and was sent home, but had he been well he would definitely have played,” said Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket.

Moxon explained that it had been decided to select Rafiq as well as left-arm spinner David Wainwright because the pitch was very dry and it was hoped there would be turn for the slow bowlers later on.

There was plenty of movement for the new-ball pairing of Jason Lewry and Collymore, although Jacques Rudolph hit an exquisite cover boundary in each of Collymore’s first two overs.

The West Indian gained his revenge when he moved a good length ball away from Rudolph who was caught at first slip by Ollie Rayner.

In his next over Collymore produced an excellent delivery to Michael Vaughan, who edged another catch to Rayner to depart for a four-ball duck and leave Yorkshire up against it.

Skipper Anthony McGrath joined Joe Sayers, who made such slow progress that he managed only five off his first 50 deliveries.

However, scoring became somewhat easier when Collymore was rested.

Robin Martin-Jenkins replaced Lewry at the Kirkstall Lane end before giving way to Dwayne Smith, whose first ball was glanced for four by Sayers to move him on to nine.

McGrath, whose previous three championship innings had brought him 384 runs, clipped Smith backward of square-leg for four and later in the same over he drove him to the cover boundary.

The light began to deteriorate and when the umpires brought the players off, Sayers had reached 15 off 78 deliveries and McGrath 24 off 73, each batsman having struck two fours.