Yorkshire wiped out Glamorgan‘s top order to assert early dominance before middle-order resistance balanced out a reduced opening day of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship season in Cardiff.

Glamorgan, playing in Division One for the first time since 2005, lost four wickets inside six overs courtesy of smart catching from Yorkshire’s keeper and slip cordon in bowler-friendly conditions.

With only 36 overs were available after rain prevented any play before 4.15pm, making it the last match to get underway, Colin Ingram, the 40-year-old Glamorgan stalwart, dug in with 22-year-old Ben Kellaway to help Glamorgan end the day 99 for 4.

Jack White took charge with 3 for 15 with the new ball, including the wicket of debutant Sean Dickson for a duck. Australian seamer Ryan Hadley also made his first appearance for Glamorgan, who were put into bat by Jonny Bairstow. Yorkshire gave two debuts in the season opener: UK-qualified Sam Whiteman and Dutch international Logan van Beek were the recipients while Jhye Richardson was left out the squad.

The five-hour wait was worth it for the Yorkshire seamers who continued where they left off in 2025 after winning the toss on a grey, damp afternoon in Cardiff. White, along with Ben Coad kept pressure on despite Eddie Byrom’s flick for four on the first ball of the hosts’ innings.

Asa Tribe, who has had plenty of England speculation, survived a first-ball scare, edging White short of second slip. But after Byrom fell to Finley Bean’s catch off Coad, Bairstow pulled off another one-hander diving across first slip to dismiss Tribe for 11.

From 20 for no loss, Glamorgan stuttered to 28 for 4. Dickson went for a nine-ball duck, then new captain Kiran Carlson found Dom Bess at leg-slip with an attempted clip off a loose White ball.

But Glamorgan rallied with Ingram and Kellaway marking a 71-run unbeaten partnership. They batted astutely, driving an off-the-radar Logan van Beek while remaining contained against George Hill, who had 51 scalps in the County Championship last season.

Van Beek’s return was more consistent: Yorkshire were convinced they had Kellaway caught behind with a nip-backer on 24 only for the Welshman to stand firm.

A late concern for Yorkshire saw Bairstow leaving the field with a knock to the finger. Bean took over the gloves while no indication was given whether Bairstow will play any further part of the game. The County Championship now allows injury substitutes as part of a trial for 2026.