IF CHAMPIONS are tested by their response to adversity, Yorkshire’s credentials are receiving a pretty severe examination this chilly spring.

By their own admission Andrew Gale’s players have not hit top form in their two Specsavers division one matches so far, and their bowling on the first morning of the game against Nottinghamshire did little to encourage supporters who hoped the problems had been solved.

The home side were 132-2 in the 30th over when opener Steven Mullaney, having hit 12 fours and two sixes in an 80-ball 78, edged Steve Patterson to Alex Lees at first slip three balls before the lunch break.

But the fall of that wicket did not fool anyone, least of all Gale.

Yet the Yorkshire skipper was also mightily encouraged by the response he received from his players in the afternoon session.

When bad light ended play some 24 overs early, Nottinghamshire had been bowled out for 261, having lost their last eight wickets for 129 runs to a White Rose attack barely recognisable from the one which had leaked runs so freely in the morning.

Jack Brooks, who had been a trifle lucky to remove Alex Hales for 36 and Greg Smith for nought in the opening exchanges, took two more with rather better deliveries and finished with 4-74 from 16 overs – figures which hardly tell the story of his day.

Bradford's Adil Rashid, operating in conditions inimical to the leg-spinner’s art, had only sent down one over before lunch but his spells after lunch and tea were admirable.

He trapped both Samit Patel and Jackson Bird leg before wicket and had Jake Ball pouched by Brooks at deep backward square leg to finish with 3-29.

Some resistance was provided by Michael Lumb, who batted capably for a patient 49, and by Stuart Broad, who was last man out for 36 when his attempt to farm the strike was defeated by Brooks’s accurate throw.

Yet the whole tempo of the cricket changed after lunch and the Yorkshire skipper acknowledged that there had been useful discussions at the first interval.

“I thought we were poor in the first session,” said Gale. “We couldn’t put two balls in the same area.

"Mullaney and Hales put us under pressure, so we talked about controlling the run rate and I thought we were outstanding in the afternoon.

“We thought we had bowled really poorly but they gave us three wickets and that was the only positive we could take from the first session.

"We haven’t been at our best so far but we were back to where we were last year in that afternoon session. Adil bowled outstandingly at Edgbaston and he did his job again today.”

Even the weather seemed to conspire in Yorkshire’s favour later in the day.

Instead of having to open the innings in frankly murky conditions, Adam Lyth and Alex Lees will begin their side’s reply this morning, encouraged by the fact that Yorkshire currently hold the advantage in this game, something which appeared unlikely yesterday lunchtime.

“Hopefully we can have a good day batting and we can get a good lead,” said Gale. “There is something in the pitch but if you work hard and get past the new ball, you can score runs out there.”