Yorkshire were as near perfect as the weather on the opening day of the Frizzell Championship season at Headingley when they took a firm grip on their game with Northamptonshire.

Everything went right on the opening day for new captain Anthony McGrath and his enthusiastic team whose body language spelled out a clear message that they are determined to get back into the First Division at the first time of asking.

Their opponents' prospects look much less encouraging for they batted without any great conviction to be skittled out for 184 after winning the toss and they then took a battering from a revitalised Matthew Wood who plundered a sparkling unbeaten century as Yorkshire raced to 210-2 by the close.

The season was a mere four balls old when Darren Gough showed the large Good Friday crowd that he is fighting fit again by finding the edge of Mark Powell's bat with an away swinger for Richard Blakey to hold the catch.

Gough raised his arms in jubilation and he continued to bowl with all his old all flair to claim figures of three for 40 in 12 overs, the only concern for Yorkshire being that if he carries on like this they will soon be losing him to England again.

But it was not a one-man bowling show because Chris Silverwood was just as menacing in picking up three for 45, Ryan Sidebottom struck twice and there was a wicket apiece for Richard Dawson and Matthew Hoggard who soon warmed to his task after taking an over or two to settle in.

Northants quickly found themselves struggling on 15 for three as Silverwood also struck with his fourth ball which lifted on Rob White for Wood to take a fast catch moving to his right at first slip and he then trapped Australian-born Phil Jaques lbw.

Gough returned at the Kirkstall Lane end for a second spell in which he gained lbw decisions against David Sales and Gerard Brophy and with half their side gone for 53 in 18 overs, Northants were on the slide.

They were saved from complete disaster by another Australian, Jeff Cook, who survived a sharp chance to Dawson at fourth slip off Gough on 19 and went on to make a powerful 74 off 123 with nine fours.

His dismissal, however, was the result of an ugly and unnecessary leg-side heave at Dawson, the ball deflecting gently to Wood in the slips.

Yorkshire were batting themselves by mid-afternoon with openers Chris Taylor and Wood making untroubled progress against a fairly innocuous attack.

Northants' new overseas paceman, Andre Nel, was getting an earlier-than-expected introduction to county cricket after being sent home from South Africa's 'A' tour of Australia following a drink-drive offence and he was soon being punished again as Wood leaned back and pulled him over mid-wicket for six.

The stand was broken at 46 when Taylor carved Carl Greenidge to third man but McGrath was soon oozing the confidence the captaincy has given him.

He was off the mark with a gloriously timed stroke through cover point and by the time he hooked Nel for six he had raced to 34 with six other boundaries.

McGrath had added only a single when he was run out to give the home fans their only disappointing moment of the day.

Wood played to backward point and went for a single but McGrath never got into top gear and wicketkeeper Bailey whipped off the bails with the batsman still short of his crease.

Michael Lumb was next to lend support to Wood who glided past his best knock last season of 43 and reached his 50 by pulling Nel for four.

Wood was unstoppable now and he savaged Greenidge for two fours and a six off consecutive balls before dashing to his century from 170 deliveries with 15 fours and two sixes, his first three-figure score since Yorkshire won the Championship by beating Glamorgan at Scarborough in August, 2001.

Lumb also looked in fine fettle and he had galloped on to 33 by the close when Wood was 109 and their third wicket stand worth 111 in 22 overs.

Updated: 11:49 Saturday, April 19, 2003