JONNY BAIRSTOW’S 12th first-class century put Yorkshire in a strong position on day one of their County Championship encounter with Hampshire.

The England wicketkeeper struck 11 fours and three sixes on his way to making 102 from just 106 deliveries, while 50s from Adam Lyth and York’s Jack Leaning helped guide the Tykes to 333-7 at the close.

York-based Bairstow got off the mark with a powerful cover-drive to the boundary and maintained his momentum from there, bringing up his half-century from just 46 balls after hooking West Indies pace ace Fidel Edwards for two sixes.

He added a further maximum off the bowling of left-arm spinner Liam Dawson as he added 155 for the fifth wicket with Leaning.

Having toured the West Indies with England during the opening month of the season, this was Bairstow’s first competitive innings since Yorkshire faced the MCC in Abu Dhabi in late March, and he was pleased with how he had adapted his game back in English conditions.

“I was just concentrating on the job in hand. It’s different conditions coming back from the West Indies so it was pretty challenging when they hit the right lengths.

When they didn’t, hopefully I was able to put the ball away,” he said. “Anytime you get to go out for Yorkshire is a privilege. I haven’t scored a hundred for a while. I only got one last year which annoyed me quite a lot and I didn’t go on to get the runs I should have done.

“They started bowling really well and got a few wickets in that first session and moving into the second. It wasn’t a conscience decision (to up the tempo) – it was just something that happened. Fortunately today it happened for the good of the team.

“It’s just the way I’ve been playing my cricket. For me it’s about forgetting everything else and playing the brand of cricket that I want to play and that I can play.”

Bairstow’s innings was in stark contrast to the rest of the day as for the most part Yorkshire were watchful in the face of some disciplined Hampshire bowling.

Lyth, who was also making his first appearance of the campaign following international duty, shared in partnerships of 48 with Che Pujara and 52 with Andrew Gale as he compiled 53 from 112 balls before being caught behind off Andre Adams.

His wicket followed those of Alex Lees in the third over of the match and Pujara, who having been fortunate to avoid being run out and seen James Vince fail to catch him at third slip, gave James Tomlinson his second wicket having made just 18.

The Headingley outfit recovered, only to lose Lyth and Gale in successive Adams overs to leave them in the precarious position of 114-4 shortly after lunch before Bairstow and Leaning accelerated the innings.

Bairstow eventually became Adams’ third victim before Adil Rashid and Will Rhodes fell to Gareth Berg, leaving it to Tim Bresnan and Leaning, who ended the day unbeaten on 77, to see the hosts to the close.