County Championship: Yorkshire gain upper hand against Notts

Ryan Sidebottom took 48 wickets for Yorkshire last summer to help them win the title for the first time since 2001

Ryan Sidebottom marked his comeback from injury with two wickets as Yorkshire had the upper hand on a rain-interrupted opening day against Notts.

Sidebottom dismissed Steven Mullaney (28) and Riki Wessels (33) in his first Championship game since April.

From 43-0, the visitors were reduced to 87-5, and then 139-7 before rain arrived to force a lengthy delay.

Notts faced 5.4 overs after the re-start, as Tim Bresnan dismissed Stuart Broad (34), to reach 169-8 at stumps.

The return of Sidebottom, with only eight overs in a second XI game behind him since suffering his calf injury, was a major boost to Yorkshire, who chose not to include either of their Australian signings, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell.

Finch instead played for the second team against Worcestershire and was taken to hospital for an X-ray after being struck in the ribs by the ball.

Notts made a solid start, but after Steve Patterson made the initial breakthrough by removing Brendan Taylor for 28, they quickly found themselves on the slide.

James Taylor was unhappy with the decision which saw him caught behind first ball off Patterson as the Notts middle order, with the exception of Wessels was quickly swept away.

He was eventually lbw to left-armer Sidebottom (2-41), shortly before rain sent the players from the field for almost three and a half hours.

Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon on decision to leave out Finch and Maxwell:

"Andrew Gale (captain) and Jason Gillespie (coach) gave it a lot of thought, but both Gary Ballance and Adam Lyth were available and Jack Leaning has been one of the best players of the season.

"Finch has not played a lot of cricket since joining us after his injury and Dizzy discussed it with him and it was felt it would be better for him to play for the second team and get him ready for Durham next week.

"I think we stuck to our task well. There was some help from the pitch and also from the overhead conditions, but you still have to put it in the right places."

Notts director of cricket Mick Newell told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"I think both teams would have wanted to bowl today; overcast day, green pitch - it was a good toss to win for Yorkshire.

"Nothing has happened so far in the game that is all that surprising. We have to battle to get as many runs in the first innings.

"If you look at the games that have been here this season, 250 is a good first-innings score.

"When we come to bowl, having Stuart Broad and Ben Hilfenhaus will give us seniority and leadership and we have two exciting youngsters doing well for us."