Warwickshire rip through Yorkshire

Only the heroics of Jonny Bairstow spared Yorkshire's blushes as Warwickshire launched a blitz against the LV= Country Championship leaders at Edgbaston.

The England hopeful hit 108 after arriving at the crease with the score at 26 for three to reclaim a measure of respectability for the Tykes on a storm-interrupted opening day as the visitors were bowled out for 213.

He eventually succumbed to Chris Wright, who bowled him on his way to figures of five for 40 off 16.2 overs on a day when Bairstow and Finch were the only men to pass 20.

Warwickshire's reply got off to the worst possible start when Varun Chopra was bowled shouldering arms by Ryan Sidebottom off the first ball of the innings with night watchman Wright following leg before wicket without troubling the scorer two balls later as they limped to 11 for two.

Dawid Malan blasted an unbeaten 159 to help third-placed Middlesex reach 312 for seven by stumps after Nottinghamshire had reduced them to 132 for six.

Malan and James Harris, who finished on 68 not out, added 147 to frustrate the home side at Trent Bridge after Luke Wood and Harry Gurney had collected two wickets each.

The going proved tough for Sussex at Taunton as Somerset made early in-roads and kept up the pressure as bad weather intervened.

Lewis Gregory removed Ed Joyce and Matt Machan with successive balls with the score on 56 and although Luke Wells and Chris Nash steadied the ship by putting on 57 for the third wicket, Sussex had slumped to 145 for six by the close.

In Division Two, it proved a difficult day for Leicestershire as bottom-of-the-table Kent skittled them out for just 159 on the opening day at Grace Road.

Skipper Ned Eckersley provided some resistance with a battling 41 before he was bowled by Matt Coles, who took six for 55 in his 15 overs.

Kent found the going little easier when they took the field with openers Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly both going cheaply as they slumped to 44 for two by the time rain forced an early close.