Dan Lawrence shores up Essex before Fin Bean shines in reply

England Test batter Dan Lawrence hit the game's only half-century so far - a cautious 61 - as Essex claimed a slender advantage at the halfway point of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Yorkshire.

During a sunny second day at Headingley, Lawrence reached 50 for only the fifth time in all cricket during a summer beset by injury as Essex replied to Yorkshire's first-innings 134 with 225.

No other batter from either side has yet raised their bat in a bowler-dominated Division One fixture, though young Yorkshire opener Fin Bean is closing in having reached close unbeaten on 41 out of 87 for two from 27.4 overs of their second innings.

The hosts, who trail by four, fought hard with ball and then bat to stay in the hunt for only a second win in 2022. But they lost George Hill caught at slip in the day's final over.

Yorkshire enjoyed a useful morning followed by a super start to the afternoon, with Essex falling to 105 for six.

Jordan Thompson claimed the first two wickets to fall and later finished with four for 60, while new ball partner Ben Coad's first of two wickets was the 200th of his first-class career.

Thompson uprooted Nick Browne's off stump with his first ball, at the start of the day's second over, before ousting Tom Westley as the first of five lbws in the first six wickets.

Steve Patterson also trapped Sir Alastair Cook in front for 23 as the former England captain played back to one which skidded through.

It was the seventh time in the last seven Championship games the two have been playing that Patterson has removed the left-hander.

Essex reached lunch at 79 for three from 33 overs. But things changed quickly.

Thompson returned immediately at the start of the afternoon and struck in his first over for the second session running as Matt Critchley was lbw.

And when Feroze Khushi and Adam Rossington were trapped lbw with deliveries which kept low from Coad in the space of six overs, Essex were six-down in the 41st over and still 29 runs adrift. The Khushi wicket, Coad's first, was number 200.

However, the day's pendulum was about to swing again as Essex reasserted their authority thanks largely to their hard-hitting seamer Snater, who freewheeled his side into the lead.

Snater hit well down the ground off front foot and back and pulled Thompson for six to secure a lead at 135 for six in the 47th over.

He shared 75 inside 15 overs with Lawrence, whom he passed in the mid-forties. The England man had been on 25 when Snater came to the crease.

Lawrence, who faced 145 balls, was more than happy to play second fiddle before Snater pulled Hill's seam to midwicket, where sub fielder Ben Mike held on for his first contribution in a Yorkshire shirt having joined from Leicestershire. At 180 for seven, Essex led by 46.

Lawrence reached his fifty shortly afterwards off 118 balls, his fifth of a frustrating summer which has literally been hamstrung having returned from England's spring Test tour of the West Indies.

The 25-year-old suffered two hamstring injuries during the early stages of the campaign and has had to find his way again for the likes of Essex, the Lions and the London Spirit whilst England's senior team were winning six out of seven summer Tests. On this evidence, a bright future remains.

He batted with skill and caution in bowler-friendly conditions, though would have been frustrated to feel for one outside off just after tea and edge Hill (three for 22 from 13.4 overs) behind - 209 for eight in the 68th over, a lead of 75.

Ben Allison, for 23, was then trapped lbw by Thompson before Hill's third wicket was that off a swinging Sam Cook caught behind.

After Cook removed Adam Lyth early in Yorkshire's second innings, Bean played with positivity but composure as he indicated easier batting conditions under the Headingley sunshine.

Hill also played nicely for 33, though swished his bat in frustration after falling to Jamie Porter three balls before the scheduled close.