Yorkshire failed to put rock-bottom Worcestershire to the sword on day one of the County Championship’s basement clash as a trio of dropped catches saw the home side close on 319 for five at New Road.

“I’m disappointed,” said Tykes skipper Anthony McGrath.

“It’s a very flat pitch and we’ve had a day of missed chances really.”

“We could have bowled them out already but you’ve got to take your chances on a pitch like this because if you don’t, the opposition make you pay.”

McGrath lost his 16th toss of 21 this season and Vikram Solanki made the easy decision of batting first in glorious sunshine.

McGrath added: “If you call wrong it’s just unfortunate but there’s rain forecast tomorrow so hopefully that’ll break the pitch up a bit.”

The track offered the bowlers little as openers Stephen Moore and Daryl Mitchell carved out a stand of 104 but Mitchell was twice let off by the Yorkshire field.

On 25, he edged thickly to Andrew Gale, who couldn’t hold on to a low catch in the slips before Jonathan Bairstow put down a similar opportunity with a two-handed dive.

Moore had averaged less than 14 in the County Championship this season but made 60 before he succumbed to a Matthew Hoggard seamer that straightened late on to remove him lbw.

A key scalp in the first over after lunch set up a much more successful afternoon for the visitors when skipper Solanki was caught behind off Ajmal Shahzad for just one.

Ben Smith then clipped cheaply to Jacques Rudolph at point off Deon Kruis for 15 and Mitchell was finally removed midway through the session. He was outfoxed by teenage off-spinner Azeem Rafiq for 68.

The youngster had been hit out of the attack in the morning session after seeing his four overs go for 26 but he came back firing with a sharp delivery that cut back into the top of middle and off-stump.

Moeen Ali made a century at Headingley last month and frustrated the Tykes attack once more to take Worcestershire from a precarious 173 for four to a much more secure score of 265.

Steve Davies became the hosts’ fourth half-centurion but he too was let off in bizarre fashion when Gale looked to have completed his dismissal by holding on above his head at mid-wicket but then inexplicably let it slip through his fingers.

Ali went for 55 before the close but Worcestershire were in the ascendancy tonight with Davies looking well set.