Yorkshire were as sizzling as the weather on the opening day of the Frizzell Championship season at Headingley yesterday, when they took a firm grip on their game with Northamptonshire.

Everything went right for new captain Anthony McGrath and his enthusiastic team.

Their opponents batted without any great conviction to be skittled out for 184 after winning the toss and they then took a battering from a revitalised Matthew Wood.

The vice-captain plundered a sparkling unbeaten century as Yorkshire raced to 210 for two.

The season was a mere four balls old when Darren Gough showed the large Good Friday crowd that he is fighting fit again by finding the edge of Mark Powell's bat with an away swinger for Richard Blakey to hold the catch.

Gough raised his arms in jubilation and he continued to bowl with all his old all flair to claim figures of three for 40 in 12 overs, the only concern for Yorkshire being that if he carries on like this they will soon be losing him to England again.

But it was not a one-man show because Chris Silverwood was just as menacing in picking up three for 45, Ryan Sidebottom struck twice and there was a wicket apiece for Richard Dawson and Matthew Hoggard, who soon warmed to his task after taking an over or two to settle in.

Northants quickly found themselves struggling on 15 for three as Silverwood also struck with his fourth ball, which lifted on Rob White for Wood to take a fast catch moving to his right at first slip. Australian-born Phil Jaques then fell lbw.

Gough returned at the Kirkstall Lane end for a second spell, in which he gained lbw decisions against David Sales and Gerard Brophy to make it 53 for five in 18 overs.

Northants were saved from complete disaster by another Australian, Jeff Cook, who survived a sharp chance to Dawson at fourth slip off Gough on 19 and went on to make a powerful 74 off 123 balls.

His dismissal, however, was the result of an ugly and unnecessary leg-side heave at Dawson, the ball deflecting gently to Wood in the slips.

Yorkshire were batting by mid-afternoon with openers Chris Taylor and Wood making untroubled progress against a fairly innocuous attack.

Northants' South African paceman, Andre Nel, was soon being punished as Wood leaned back and pulled him over mid-wicket for six.

The stand was broken at 46 when Taylor carved Carl Greenidge to third man, but McGrath was soon off the mark with a gloriously-timed stroke through cover point and by the time he hooked Nel for six he had raced to 34.

But McGrath was run out when Wood played to backward point and went for a single. Wicketkeeper Bailey whipped off the bails with the batsman still short of his crease.

Michael Lumb was next to lend support to Wood and had eased to 33 by the close when Wood was 109 and their third wicket stand was worth 111 in 22 overs.