JONNY Bairstow and Liam Plunkett piled the pressure on Hampshire yesterday during a second day period of batting more akin to Twenty20 cricket than the Specsavers County Championship.

The England pair blasted Hampshire’s lacklustre attack to all parts of Headingley either side of lunch on the way to a double century and a century respectively.

Bradford-born Bairstow hit 246 off 270 balls and Plunkett 126 off 102, the pair combining to amass runs with ease on the way to 593-9 declared.

Their seventh-wicket partnership yielded 227 in only 29 overs at a run-rate of 8.05 per over.

Yorkshire advanced their first innings from 270-5 overnight to score 323 inside only 43 overs.

Hampshire responded with 141-5 from 51, including two wickets for Plunkett. Captain James Vince is 76 not out.

While this was Bairstow’s third career double century, it was Plunkett third first-class hundred and first in the Championship. Both scores were career bests.

Amazingly, Plunkett was 94 not out at lunch having only come in at 11.52am after Adil Rashid (34) had departed following a 99-run stand with Bairstow.

“The way Liam came out and played was fantastic,” said Bairstow, who was delighted with his own first double century at Headingley.

“You saw how cleanly he struck the ball. When someone's striking it like that, you just let them go for as long as possible. It was great to be at the other end.

"270 on the board at the start of the day, it could have been a very tricky morning. It all started with Rash. I thought he played really well, and the intent that he showed set the tone.”

Hampshire were without injured bowling duo Liam Dawson, off the field with an abdominal strain, and Chris Wood, who limped off with a knee injury. Yet they were still incredibly poor.

They certainly showed more fight with the bat later, led by Vince, who fought hard in between wickets for Ryan Sidebottom, Plunkett and Jack Brooks.

Sidebottom struck first when he trapped Tom Alsop lbw in the third over before Plunkett had Michael Carberry well caught at first slip by Alex Lees, leaving the score at 34-2 in the 14th.

Vince and Will Smith united for nearly 19 overs either side of tea before the latter was trapped lbw by Brooks – 66-3 in the 32nd.

Vince reached 50 off 102 balls. Although it was a battling effort, he hit five boundaries in eight balls to signal his half-century.

Unfortunately for him, he saw Dawson, with whom he had shared 59 for the fourth wicket, and night-watchman James Tomlinson depart in successive overs just before close.

Dawson was lbw to Sidebottom and Tomlinson fended Plunkett to fourth slip.

“I feel in good nick with bat and ball,” added Plunkett.

"I always consider I can get runs even though I was eleven in the World Cup for a few games. You get so much practice and throws and are facing net balls the whole time.

"I tried to score the hundred before lunch. I ran down with two balls to go, swiped and missed it. I looked stupid.

“Seriously, I was happy to milk it to a hundred at that point. I've had a few first-class, but that was the first Champo. It's nice to get that."