JORDAN Thompson claimed the only two wickets during a frustrating bowling day for Yorkshire to begin the Roses County Championship clash with Lancashire at Emerald Headingley.

Having won the toss under an overcast sky, the White Rose were forced onto the back foot by a 163 opening partnership from centurion Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies.

As Lancashire closed on 273-2 from 96 overs, left-handed Jennings posted an excellent 132 off 253 balls and backed up the 114 he scored in his side’s Roses win at Old Trafford at the end of May.

Swing was evident early on before the visiting pair settled at the crease to secure the early advantage in this final round Group Three fixture.

Though both sides have already secured a top two finish in the group and qualification for the competition’s top group in late August and through September, this is a vital fixture in terms of the carrying of points.

With only four games played in the next stage, when teams will battle for the Championship and Bob Willis Trophy titles, it means you do not play the team you have advanced with from this initial group phase.

Instead, half the aggregate points in the two fixtures are carried forwards.

In beating Yorkshire at Old Trafford in late May, the Red Rose claimed 22 points to the White Rose’s one.

Yorkshire were unlucky with the first new ball, taken by Ben Coad and Dom Leech.

The latter is making his Championship debut having played in last season’s Bob Willis Trophy. He has come into the side with Duanne Olivier resting a niggling back complaint.

Leech had a confident caught behind shout against Davies turned down on nought.

As the ball got softer, Lancashire looked much more at ease as the hosts struggled for penetration.

In many ways, Lancashire’s approach to batting mirrored the way they played in the Old Trafford fixture in early May, when they claimed a lead of 350 on first innings having posted 509-9 declared.

Jennings scored 114 in that game as well, and he and Davies also shared a century opening stand here last season in the rainy Bob Willis Trophy draw.

Jennings became Lancashire’s 13th player to score two Roses first-class century in the same season, something last done by Haseeb Hameed in 2016. Hameed is the only play on that list to have done it in the same game.

The Red Rose reached 96-0 at lunch, with Davies on 49 and Jennings 39.

Both reached their fifties during the afternoon. Davies reached his sixth of the season, and this also represented his 2021 best.

Jennings, who also went beyond 8,000 first-class career runs in the process, was strong down the ground and lofted Dom Bess for six into the Emerald Stand after tea to move to 90.

Davies drove well and was strong through mid-wicket before being trapped lbw by Thompson as the score fell to 163-1 in the 57th over.

While Yorkshire held the run-rate at below three runs an over for the majority of the day, Jennings later hit four fours in a seven-ball spell against Leech with the new ball to spoil the youngster’s figures (0-56 from 13 overs).

He then chipped a return catch to Thompson, leaving Lancashire at 256-2 in the 86th over. Luke Wells closed the day on 35 not out.

While Thompson finished with 2-50 from 15, Coad was miserly for 0-38 from 19. Bess also bowled 19 overs for 50.