Yorkshire start the season well before Glamorgan rearguard

Glamorgan, playing in Division One for the first time since 2005, lost four wickets inside six overs courtesy of smart catching from Yorkshire’s ‘keeper and slip cordon in bowler-friendly conditions.

With only 36 overs were available in the day’s play due to earlier rain preventing play before 4:15pm, making it the last match to get underway, Colin Ingram, the 40-year-old Glamorgan stalwart, dug in with 22-year-old Ben Kellaway to end the day 99 for 4.

Jack White took charge with 3 for 15 with the new ball, including that of debutant Sean Dickson for a duck. Australian seamer Ryan Hadley also debuts for Glamorgan who were put into bat by Jonny Bairstow. Yorkshire also gave two debuts in the season opener; UK-qualified Sam Whiteman and Dutch international Logan van Beek were the recipients while Jhye Richardson was left out the squad.

The five-hour wait was worth its weight in gold for the Yorkshire seamers who continued where they left off in 2025 after winning the toss on a grey, damp afternoon in Cardiff. White, along with Ben Coad kept pressure on despite Byrom’s flick for four on the first ball of the hosts’ innings.

Asa Tribe, who has had plenty of England speculation, survived a first ball scare, edging White short of second slip. He didn’t last much longer as Bairstow took the second one-handed catch of the innings, diving across first slip for 11 to follow Byrom’s dismissal to Finley Bean’s one-hander.

From 20 for no loss to 28 for 4 Glamorgan fell after new captain Kiran Carlson found Dom Bess at leg-slip with an attempted clip off a loose White ball.

Glamorgan turned astute with Ingram and Kellaway marking a 71-run unbeaten partnership, driving an off-the-radar Logan van Beek while remaining contained against George Hill, who had 51 scalps in the County Championship last season.

Van Beek’s return was more consistent; Yorkshire were convinced they had Kellaway caught behind with a nip-backer on 24 only for the Welshman to stand firm.

A late concern for Yorkshire was indicated by Bairstow leaving the field with a knock to the finger. Bean took over the gloves while no indication was given whether Bairstow will play any further part of the game. The County Championship now allows injury substitutes as part of a trial for 2026.

After early worries of Division One woes starting as meaning to go on, Glamorgan’s recovery negotiating a second spell from White left the shortened day as balanced.