YORKSHIRE endured a difficult opening day against Worcestershire at Scarborough as they were bowled out for 216.

The White Rose’s ninth Specsavers County Championship of the season started with them struggling on a testing pitch, with 19-year-old quick Dillon Pennington claiming a career best four-wicket haul.

Pennington made use of pace and carry, some uneven bounce and some nip off the pitch, and was backed up by three wickets for Ed Barnard and two for Moeen Ali. Worcestershire then reached close at 39-0 from 13.2 overs, with bad light and then rain preventing any play beyond 5pm.

Kane Williamson top-scored with 87 off 131 balls. He had to battle hard, but still played some typically classy shots.

The New Zealand captain was dropped on 18 at first slip off Pennington before lunch, a regulation chance to Ross Whiteley. He was also struck a blow on the right hand by a short ball from South Africa quick Wayne Parnell, who he then hit for four successive boundaries.

The 28-year-old shared a fifth-wicket stand of 88 with Jonny Tattersall (27) either side of lunch as they recovered from 63-4 following Worcestershire’s decision to bowl first upon an uncontested toss.

Unfortunately, the key period of the day came midway through the afternoon when the hosts lost four wickets for four runs to slip from 151-4 to 155-8.

Pennington struck twice, including getting Tattersall brilliantly caught one-handed high above his head by Daryl Mitchell at second slip, while Williamson chopped on trying to cut Ali’s off-spin.

Jack Brooks also made 38 down the order as Yorkshire recovered from losing those four mid-afternoon wickets in 16 balls. Brooks hit two big sixes, including a pull off Pennington, as he dominated a 56-run stand for the ninth wicket with Matthew Fisher (20no) to ensure the hosts were able to secure a batting bonus point for passing 200.

Before lunch, Pennington had Gary Ballance and Tom Kohler-Cadmore caught at point within three balls in the 23rd over (63-4), with the latter looping a lifter to point off a combination of glove and shoulder.

The day started with Harry Brook pulling new-ball seamer Josh Tongue down deep square-leg’s throat, with Pennington taking the catch despite slipping in making ground to the ball. Barnard then trapped Adam Lyth lbw with a full inswinger.

Williamson posted his 11th score of 50 or more in his 18th Championship appearance across four spells as the club’s overseas player. He will play one more game, against Somerset at Emerald Headingley later this month, before returning home to New Zealand to rest up ahead of their international summer.

He will be replaced by opening batsman and compatriot Jeet Raval for the last four games. Raval has arrived with Yorkshire, and he netted with Jack Leaning, who has been left out of this clash, at lunch.

The White Rose are fielding three players making their first Championship appearances of 2018 - captain David Willey, Kohler-Cadmore and Fisher.

Worcester openers Mitchell and Tom Fell, opening for the first time in Championship cricket, then made a solid start to the reply with 16 and 21 not out respectively. The weather caused the loss of 20.2 overs.