Round-up: Yorkshire take control as Lyth scythes second century of season

(GETTY)

Yorkshire's defeat at Taunton last week, where they paid the price for a generous declaration against a Somerset side well-practiced in run chases, seems to have done little to halt their momentum in the Championship.

Put into bat at the Rose Bowl, they are well on top after the opening day against Hampshire, reaching 300 for 3 after Adam Lyth's second century of the season.

The left-hander's aggressive strokeplay dominated an opening partnership of 195 with the more naturally cautious Joe Sayers before he was caught at long-on attempting to hit left-arm seamer James Tomlinson over the top.

Lyth scored his first 50 off only 59 balls, at which point Sayers had made only three. All told, he picked off 17 fours, as well as a six off David Balcombe, taking him clear as the country's leading run-scorer with 755, ahead of Derbyshire's Chris Rogers.

Elsewhere, Alfonso Thomas took 5 for 41 as Warwickshire crashed to 127 all out at Taunton, where Arul Suppiah's half-century has put Somerset 18 in front with only three wickets lost. Ryan ten Doeschate's 85 helped Essex to a good position after Lancashire had put them in at Old Trafford.

*Ed Joyce has turned his back on England in favour of resuming his international career with his native Ireland. The Sussex player said: "While I strongly believe I'm good enough to play Test cricket for England, I've taken the decision now to try and play for Ireland again. There are a few reasons, the most obvious that I'm a born and bred Irishman. Secondly, I feel I've a lot to offer to Irish cricket."