In contrast to the free scoring of the morning session, Yorkshire’s batsmen were made to work rather harder for their runs at Wantage Road this afternoon.

Five of them lost their wickets to leave the county on 263-7 at tea on the second afternoon in reply to Northamptonshire’s 283-5 declared.

Perhaps it was significant that the first batsman to be dismissed was Alex Lees, who – having added just six to his classy pre-lunch century – pulled Steven Crook to deep square leg where Maurice Chambers took a good diving catch.

Lees’ departure for 106 sparked a mini-collapse as three more wickets fell in short order.

Adil Rashid chipped a ball from Crook that may have stopped on him to Kyle Coetzer at midwicket, Gary Ballance edged Chambers to Dave Murphy behind the stumps and Oliver Robinson snicked Azhar Ullah into the slips.

That left Yorkshire on 205-6 and it needed some uncompromising blows from Liam Plunkett to repair the situation.

The former Durham bowler made 43 and added 54 with Steven Patterson before losing his leg stump to Andrew Hall, leaving Patterson unbeaten on 20 at tea.