Nottinghamshire experienced a day of fluctuating fortunes as their Specsavers County Championship match began against Yorkshire at Emerald Headingley.

The seam attack, led by Luke Fletcher’s 4-47, bowled out the hosts for 256 in 74.1 overs. Harry Gurney took 3-46, Jake Ball picked up two wickets and Luke Wood the other.

Andrew Hodd top-scored for the hosts, making 62, before a stubborn last-wicket partnership of 44 began to tilt the momentum away from the visitors.

Commencing their innings with 19 overs remaining, Notts were soon in trouble and plunged to 6-3. Ross Taylor helped stem the bleeding with a flurry of exquisite boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 34 as the visitors closed on 53-4.

Unchanged from the win at Old Trafford, Notts opted to bowl first and were clearly eager to make early inroads into the strong Yorkshire line-up and could have removed Adam Lyth early on.

The first ball of the second over, bowled by Luke Fletcher, flew off the outside edge of the left-hander’s bat and went at a catchable height between slips and gully.

Jake Ball, fresh from his exploits in Manchester, collected his 10th wicket of the new season with the scalp of Alex Lees (6), who nicked to Ross Taylor at third slip.

Although Lyth continued to look dangerous, he lost two partners in quick succession. Cheteshwar Pujara, who played for Notts last season, only made two before being given out lbw to Luke Fletcher.

Ball’s second wicket followed, as Gary Ballance sealed a nine-ball duck with a tame shot into the hands of Samit Patel at point.

A 50-run partnership took the White Rose from 37 for three to 87; with six of those runs coming in one blow as Lyth muscled Luke Wood over the midwicket ropes.

The former England opener looked in ominously good touch but was halted in his stride after being given out lbw to Harry Gurney for 45.

Harry Brook, who had played a couple of stylish drives in his 22, was then cleaned up by Wood, to leave the home side on 93-5.

Jack Leaning and Andrew Hodd added 44 either side of lunch but – as the runs dried up and the pressure intensified – the inevitable mistake was costly; Steven Mullaney pouching Leaning (12) off Fletcher.

Yorkshire needed 130 balls to get from 100 to 150, such was the tight grip that the seamers had on proceedings.

Fletcher’s perseverance brought him a further wicket in mid-afternoon, as Tim Bresnan (10) was also struck on the pads and adjudged lbw.

After tea, Gurney had Josh Shaw (17) caught behind and then fired one through Hodd’s defences to flatten the stumps and end his 165-minute stay at the crease.

The last wicket pair put on 44, which included a Jack Brooks (30 not out) six off Patel, before Fletcher removed Ben Coad (18), who lofted Fletcher to Patel in the covers.

Nottinghamshire slumped to 9-4 on Monday, in their win over Lancashire – and were soon in similar disarray. Steven Mullaney was bowled by Brooks, playing on to the second ball of the innings before a run had been scored.

Chris Nash (0) edged the same bowler behind and then Jake Libby (6) was given out lbw to Coad.

Ross Taylor went after Coad, hitting him for four boundaries in one over, but the fourth wicket soon followed, as Brooks pinned Patel lbw for 4.

Taylor and Riki Wessels (8 not out) prevented any further damage and will begin again on the second morning, still 203 runs adrift.

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Notts Outlaws begin their T20 Blast title defence at Trent Bridge on 4 July against Birmingham Bears. Tickets are £10 in advance – book now and save money…