AJMAL SHAHZAD gave Yorkshire the upper hand with four wickets as he showed signs of returning to top form during day two against Hampshire at Headingley yesterday.

The 25 year-old fast bowler, who started the day with an obdurate batting effort as Yorkshire reached 355, then claimed the wickets of Liam Dawson, Neil McKenzie, James Vince and Johann Myburgh as England selector James Whittaker watched on.

Shahzad is an outsider for the final seam bowler’s place for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Cardiff in just under a fortnight, seemingly behind Tim Bresnan, Steve Finn and Chris Tremlett in the pecking order.

But, if he can build on yesterday’s exploits during the next two days and then for the Lions against the tourists at Derby next week, he may still sneak in to supplement Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.

Shahzad’s burst yesterday included wickets with the second ball of his first and second spell, and went a long way to forcing Hampshire onto the back foot at 189-6 from 63 overs.

Shahzad’s bowling, which amounted to figures of 4-48 from 14 overs, was the highlight of a fragmented day.

There were seven stoppages for rain, and neither side were really able to get their teeth stuck into the day until the final session.

Yorkshire started on 304-7 with Bresnan on 82 and Shahzad on 42. Neither made it to their milestones as Hampshire captain Dominic Cork excelled by taking two wickets and only conceding 15 runs from 17.4 overs bowled.

The 39-year-old ex-England man, who had Shahzad caught in the slips and bowled Steve Patterson, finished with 5-75 from 37.4 overs.

The pace of the first two sessions was summed up by Shahzad’s uncharacteristic innings of 48 from 168 balls.

He only scored six runs from 58 balls yesterday, and spent 35 minutes stuck on 48.

Dawson and Jimmy Adams had got their side off to a solid start in reply early in the afternoon session, adding 42 for the first wicket until Shahzad trapped Dawson lbw with one that cut back in the 16th over.

Bresnan then had Adams caught behind by Bairstow with the first ball of his second spell, leaving the score at 69-2 in the 28th over.

Shahzad struck after the break, getting McKenzie caught at first slip by Adam Lyth and trapping James Vince lbw with a searing yorker, to put the visitors under pressure at 119-4 in the 48th.

Myburgh’s 64 off 125 balls was the highlight for Hampshire.

He even up his 50 with a pulled six off Adil Rashid.

But the South African was Shahzad’s fourth victim, caught behind in the closing stages of the day.

Ryan Sidebottom had earlier left Hampshire at 154-5 when he bowled wicketkeeper Nic Pothas.

Cork and Sean Ervine resume this morning with their side 166 runs behind, needing 17 more to avoid the follow-on.

SCORECARD

Yorkshire v Hampshire
At Headingley Carnegie.
Overnight: Yorkshire 304-7 (J M Bairstow
83, T T Bresnan 82 no).

Yorkshire First Innings
T T Bresnan c Pothas b Kabir Ali 87
A Shahzad c Dawson b Cork 48
R J Sidebottom not out 25
S A Patterson b Cork 9
Extras (lb12 w1 nb4 pens 0) 17
Total (124.4 overs) 355
Fall: 1-6 2-6 3-48 4-78 5-99 6-143 7-205 8-
313 9-335
Bonus Pts: Yorkshire 4 Hampshire 3
Bowling: Cork 37.4-8-75-5. Griffiths 23-6-
91-1. Kabir Ali 30-10-73-2. Ervine 18-4-56-
1. Briggs 16-1-48-0.

Hampshire First Innings Close
J H Adams c Bairstow b Bresnan 26
L A Dawson lbw b Shahzad 19
J G Myburgh c Bairstow b Shahzad 64
N D McKenzie c Lyth b Shahzad 13
J M Vince lbw b Shahzad 14
N Pothas b Sidebottom 9
S M Ervine not out 16
D G Cork not out 6
Extras (b4 lb6 w6 nb6 pens 0) 22
Total 6 wkts (63 overs) 189
Fall: 1-42 2-69 3-97 4-119 5-154 6-176
To Bat: Kabir Ali, D R Briggs, D A Griffiths.
Bonus Pts: Yorkshire 4 Hampshire 3
Bowling: Sidebottom 16-3-35-1. Bresnan
16-6-29-1. Patterson 11-2-32-0. Shahzad
14-2-48-4. A U Rashid 6-0-35-0.