Kane Williamson was fourth out for 30 as a Yorkshire side, captained for the first time by Joe Root, progressed uncertainly to 76-4 at lunch on the first day of their LV= Division One match against Middlesex at Lord’s.

Williamson’s watchful innings was ended by a fine catch by second slip Ollie Rayner off James Harris just before the end of a first session in which the visitors had earlier lost Alex Lees (2), Root (0) and Adam Lyth (34). All of which made it a good morning for Chris Rogers’ Middlesex attack after they had asked Yorkshire to bat first on a cloudy morning.

Lees was the first to go in the third over of the day when he inside-edged Tim Murtagh to wicket-keeper John Simpson. However, Lyth and Williamson produced an array of sweet boundaries in their 52-run stand for the second wicket before England seamer Steve Finn struck twice in successive overs.

First, the tall fast bowler had Lyth well caught down the leg side by Simpson for 30 and he then trapped Root lbw on the back foot for a fifth-ball duck on his return to first-class cricket. At the interval Gary Ballance was unbeaten on eight and Adil Rashid had yet to get off the mark.