JOE SAYERS has pointed to the stunning catch taken by Steven Croft to dismiss him as the moment that pushed the Roses match at Liverpool firmly into Lancashire’s grasp after yesterday’s opening day.

Yorkshire endured a difficult day at the office, being bowled out for 141 and then allowing the hosts to reach 56-1 from 16 overs in reply.

After Andrew Gale had lost an important toss in helpful bowling conditions, the captain and Sayers had united to recover the score from 30-2 with a third wicket partnership of 65 inside 32 overs.

Gale had reached 31 and Sayers 53 from 147 balls, combating some tight bowling from Glen Chapple and Jimmy Anderson, when the latter cracked England’s Anderson away towards point for what looked like his fourth boundary.

The only problem was that Croft leapt to his left and clung on to a ripper.

Yorkshire’s innings unravelled from there, with ex-Tyke Gary Keedy and Sri Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof taking four wickets apiece.

Sayers said: “Fielding is a big part of the modern game, and dismissals like that do change things. It was a great catch from Crofty, and one that really did alter the momentum of the game.

“When you come off the field and think about the manner of your innings, you wonder whether you could have done anything different.

“That was just one of those occasions when I’d do exactly the same thing again given the chance.”

The left-handed opener was one of three wickets to fall for eleven runs in the second half of the afternoon, with left-arm spinner Keedy bowling Gale around his legs and also getting Gary Ballance caught at silly-point.

Yorkshire, whose tail is a pretty long one with Steve Patterson coming in at number nine, failed to recover with both bat and ball.

“It doesn’t read well,” continued Sayers. “Being bowled out for a low score and conceding too many runs in a short period of time in the evening represents a tough day for us. It makes the second day a pivotal one.”

Despite Patterson getting Stephen Moore lbw in the fourth over of Lancashire’s innings, Paul Horton was allowed to reach 39 not out at close too easily.

Gerard Brophy failed a late fitness test on his injured right thumb, forcing Simon Guy to don the wicketkeeping gloves in a Championship match for the first time since 2007.

The start of play was delayed for 45 minutes due to rain, meaning four of the allotted 96 overs were lost.

And Lancashire started well when captain Glen Chapple trapped Adam Lyth lbw four overs in. Maharoof also removed Joe Root in identical fashion, forcing Sayers and Gale into a rearguard action.

Keedy later added the wickets of Adil Rashid and Oliver Hannon-Dalby, dismissed caught and bowled and lbw, to finish with 4-44 from 23.3 overs.

And Maharoof bowled Guy for eight and Moin Ashraf and trapped Patterson lbw to finish with 4-35 from 16.

Home pair Horton and Karl Brown will resume their 47-run second wicket partnership this morning.

Sayers added: “We had a chat upstairs straight after play to say that the important thing is our attitude stays right and we show a lot of fight whatever the score is.

“We need to improve our bowling disciplines and stick at it for as long as it takes.”