Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan led the way as Yorkshire responded superbly to early strife on the opening day of their LV County Championship match against Hampshire at Headingley yesterday.

The White Rose county had slipped to 6-2 and 99-5 against the South Coast strugglers after Andrew Gale had won the toss and elected to bat on a placid pitch.

But Bairstow backed up last week's double ton against Nottinghamshire with 83 off 130 balls and Bresnan returned from six weeks off following a hectic winter on England duty to reach 82 not out off 157 balls.

Yorkshire closed the day on 304-7 from 96 overs, with a third batting bonus point in the bag, and they will be the happier of the two dressing rooms going into today's second day.

"With the start we had, it was obviously going to be quite a tough day," said Bairstow, who has been called up to the England Lions squad for next week's four-day match against Sri Lanka at Derby.

"We lost three early wickets and had to rebuild, so we're very happy with the way it finished."

Hampshire captain Dominic Cork, 40 in August, was the chief architect of Yorkshire's downfall as he bowled Adam Lyth, trapped Gerard Brophy lbw and later forced Bairstow to chop onto his stumps as he loosely drove.

There was also the odd slice of luck for the visitors, who had Joe Root (35) run out as he backed up. Bairstow drove a ball from Sean Ervine, which the Zimbabwean all-rounder got a finger tip on to deflect it onto the stumps.

Ervine also had Gale caught behind down the leg-side, the slippery David Griffiths trapped Joe Sayers lbw and Kabir Ali had Adil Rashid caught at second slip by James Vince.

Rashid and Bairstow shared 44 for the sixth wicket to show first signs of a home recovery early in the afternoon before Bairstow, caught off a Kabir no-ball on 60, and Bresnan shared 62 for the seventh.

And the eighth wicket partnership of 99 between Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad (42 not out) - another who will miss Wednesday's Roses match against Lancashire at Liverpool due to Lions duty - will resume this morning.

"I'm pleased with the way I'm feeling at the moment, but I'm slightly disappointed to get out the way that I did," said Bairstow, who hit 13 fours in his composed innings, before praising the contribution of others.

"The way that Brezzy and Ajy played at the end was fantastic. We're really pleased."

Bresnan's contribution is his highest for Yorkshire since June, 2009, and he and Shahzad both hit sixes as they took the wind out of Hampshire's sails.

Bresnan was even let off the hook when he edged Kabir between first and second slip whilst on 34.

On the Lions call-up, Bairstow added: "Obviously I'm disappointed to be missing the Roses game with the boys, but I'm delighted to get the call. Hopefully, I can go and represent Yorkshire and do well for the Lions."

SCORECARD

Yorkshire v Hampshire
At Headingley Carnegie.
Yorkshire Won Toss
Yorkshire First Innings Close
A Lyth b Cork 2
J J Sayers lbw b Griffiths 4
J E Root run out 35
A W Gale c Pothas b Ervine 15
J M Bairstow b Cork 83
G L Brophy lbw b Cork 12
A U Rashid c Vince b Kabir Ali 18
T T Bresnan not out 82
A Shahzad not out 42
Extras (lb6 w1 nb4 pens 0) 11
Total 7 wkts (96 overs) 304
Fall: 1-6 2-6 3-48 4-78 5-99 6-143 7-205
To Bat: R J Sidebottom, S A Patterson.
Bowling: Cork 23-1-60-3. Griffiths 18-4-72-1. Kabir
Ali 21-6-62-1. Ervine 18-4-56-1. Briggs 16-
1-48-0.