Yorkshire's under-prepared bowling attack showed plenty of promise when it creaked into action at Headingley yesterday on the opening day of the Championship season before rain wiped out play with Essex on 128-3 in 43 overs.

Putting their opponents in on a dreary day, Yorkshire stuck to their task well and Essex would have been in bigger trouble but for a fine innings from opener Will Jefferson who finished unbeaten on 60 from 135 balls with ten boundaries.

The most encouraging aspect from Yorkshire's point of view was the performance of their two debutants, Ian Harvey and John Blain, who each picked up a wicket, Blain with his ninth delivery for his new county and Australian Harvey with his 25th.

The other wicket was claimed by Chris Silverwood in a tidy opening spell from the Kirkstall Lane end and the only blot on Yorkshire's overall display was caused by Steve Kirby bowling six no-balls.

Rain was already in the air when Essex went out to bat and Yorkshire did not have to wait long for a wicket, the first ball of Silverwood's third over being edged by Alastair Cook to wicketkeeper Simon Guy who pouched the catch moving in front of first slip.

It was a good start for Guy who has taken over the gloves from Richard Blakey and the younger man knows he must go on performing well to hold on to them.

Jefferson, at 24 still a batsman of rich England potential, had already off-driven Kirby sweetly for four but he soon lost acting captain Andy Flower when Blain joined the attack and had the left-hander lbw shuffling across his stumps.

Aftab Habib and Jefferson both worked the ball around nicely as they settled into a 49 stand but the ball started to swing about noticeably when Harvey came on. He found the edge of Habib's bat when he hung it out to dry and Matthew Wood took a straightforward catch at first slip.

Habib's dismissal meant he did not profit from an escape off the previous ball, the last of an over from Vic Craven, which went between wicketkeeper and first slip without a firm reaction from either.

Jefferson, who made 41 out of 97-3 three in the morning session, soon moved to his half-century with a gloriously timed boundary shot through point off Kirby and he stood up straight to drive Harvey through the covers for another four.

Not long afterwards, the players came off for bad light before rain set in for the day.

Updated: 11:03 Thursday, April 22, 2004