RYAN SIDEBOTTOM paid tribute to Rich Pyrah after the all-rounder continued his fine form to help Yorkshire take the initiative during the opening day against champions Nottinghamshire at Headingley.

Pyrah claimed a maiden five wicket haul to help bowl the visitors out for a paltry 143 inside 36 overs after Chris Read had elected to bat first.

Ex-Trent Bridge star Sidebottom was his wing-man with 4-30 from 12 overs.

Both took advantage of the swinging conditions before the hosts then replied with 213-5 from 58 overs.

“To take four wickets was great, but you’ve got to commend Rich Pyrah for his first five-for,” said Sidebottom, who saw the 28-year-old return figures of 5-58 from 10.4 overs after last week’s three-for against Durham.

“He’s got off to a great start. He’s come into the side and done really well. He’s already batted well (against Durham), and long may it continue.”

Pyrah got the notable scalps of Alex Hales, who top scored with 85, Australian international Adam Voges and Read. But Sidebottom will take his share of the headlines thanks to two expert spells of left-arm swing bowling from the Kirkstall Lane End either side of lunch.

He got opener Paul Franks and Samit Patel with successive deliveries to leave Notts in the mire at 7-3 in the fifth over before getting Ali Brown and Luke Fletcher later on.

Adam Lyth caught two superb catches in the slip cordon, while McGrath – who later made 49 – also pouched a beauty.

“There’s always added incentive to do well against your old team,” continued Sidebottom. “I’ve got some close friends amongst them.

“But we just bowled well as a unit. If we bowl like that again, we’ll go a long way to doing well this season.”

Despite three wickets for opening bowler Fletcher, Yorkshire will be generally happy with their batting effort because Lyth, McGrath, Andrew Gale and Adil Rashid all got themselves settled at the crease.

The swing Yorkshire’s pacemen got was not quite as evident when the visitors bowled, although they took advantage of some uneven bounce in the track. Jonny Bairstow was desperately unlucky when he was bowled by Fletcher with one that kept low.

“It was a good toss to lose,” assessed Sidebottom. “We were going to bat because it looks really good to bat on. But, with not being allowed to put heavy rollers on the pitch anymore, there’s the odd indentation.

“You’ve just got to try and bowl as straight as possible and hope the batsman makes a mistake. There’s always going to be the odd ball that does a bit.”

Lyth and McGrath shared a stand of 100 for the second wicket, but the former let himself down when on 64 because he pulled Fletcher (3-55 from 13 overs) down the throat of Franks at long-leg after being tested out numerous times with the short ball.

Gale and Rashid, 47 and 39 not out respectively, steadied things from 144-5 with an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 69.