YORKSHIRE have strengthened their grip on their opening-round Specsavers County Championship match against Hampshire during today’s second day.

Jonny Bairstow and Liam Plunkett completed career-best scores this afternoon, with Bairstow posting 246 and Plunkett 126 as part of a thrilling seventh-wicket stand of 227 inside only 29 overs.

They were the main reasons why the champions, who started day two on 270-5, scored 323 inside the first 43 overs of play.

Hampshire then fell to 9-1 in the third over of their reply as Ryan Sidebottom trapped Tom Alsop lbw before Plunkett got Michael Carberry superbly caught at first slip by a diving Alex Lees with 34 on the board.

Hampshire will resume after tea on 42-2 from 19 overs, although it has just started raining.