Yorkshire make early inroads against Leicestershire (From York Press)

Yorkshire make early inroads against Leicestershire

1:13pm Friday 27th July 2012 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

YORKSHIRE have enjoyed a profitable opening morning with the ball against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

After being invited to bowl first, Steve Patterson has struck twice with successful lbw appeals and Steve Harmison and Moin Ashraf once apiece as the hosts reached lunch at 98-4 from 28.2 overs. Patterson has been Yorkshire's standout bowler in good batting conditions, getting Greg Smith and Ned Eckersley.

Harmison has been generally wayward, even bowling a wide that cost him five in his first over. But the on-loan former England bowler did manage to bowl Ramnaresh Sarwan with a perfect yorker, leaving the score at 59-3 in the 16th over.

Michael Thornely then fell caught behind as he nibbled outside off-stump at Ashraf for 31 two balls into the final over of the morning.

Matt Boyce (13 not out) will resume this afternoon with Shiv Thakor expected to join him at the crease.

Meanwhile, Tim Bresnan has been made available for t20 Finals Day on August 25.

Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, however, have been selected for a two-match four-day series between England Lions and Australia 'A' between August 7 and 17.

The pair will miss Yorkshire's Championship match against Derbyshire at Headingley, starting on August 15. They will also miss two 40-over matches against Warwickshire and Northamptonshire the week before.