Yorkshire CCC held up by the weather after James Wharton epic

He would have been distinctly unimpressed with Derbyshire’s batting on the first day, when they were rolled over for 76 after winning the toss, Yorkshire reaching 283-5 at stumps.

They extended that to 416-6 before rain interrupted their progress, the visitors needing a further 34 inside 16.5 overs for a fifth and final batting point as the contest reached its halfway point.

Having recorded his maiden first-class century on day one, which he finished 116 not out, James Wharton came within sight of converting it into a double.

He scored 188 from 241 balls with 23 fours and six sixes, falling in what proved to be the closing stages of the soggy day, a magnificent innings by the 23-year-old.

Jonny Tattersall lifted his total from 41 overnight to 93 not out, fashioned from 151 balls with 11 fours, adding 241 with Wharton for the sixth-wicket, a record in games involving these sides.

For Ali Maiden, the Yorkshire assistant coach, it was deserved reward for both players.

"I’m very pleased for ‘Wharts’,” said Maiden. “He’s worked really hard for this. Obviously Joe and ‘Brooky’ kept him out at the start of the year, so it’s just nice to see him get an opportunity and take it like that.

"’Tatts’ has had limited opportunities because our batting line-up is so strong. He chips in here and there, so it’s nice to see him get more of a chance to show people how good he is.

"It’s been a great effort by all the lads so far; we’ll come back and try and get a few more runs, and then we’ll see where the game goes from there.”

As was the case on day one, it was bitterly cold at this exposed club ground - unbelievably so for July 1. Unlike the first day, matters were more heavily affected by showers, with only 35.1 overs bowled.

Conditions seemed to put off spectators, with no more than 500 perhaps braving the elements. As they sat on the brown seats that ringed the boundary - at least those who had not retreated to the warmth of their cars - they looked like a football crowd in the depths of winter, wrapped to the eyeballs in coats and scarves.

The day’s best weather came at the start, sunshine visible when schoolchildren formed a guard of honour for the players in front of the pavilion.

The skies soon clouded over, though, albeit not that they seemed to assist the Derbyshire bowlers, who continued to struggle against the broad bats of Wharton and Tattersall.

Both proceeded largely untroubled in a morning session curtailed by rain at 12.30pm, lifting their stand in that period from 118 overnight to 237, beating the previous sixth-wicket record for Yorkshire against Derbyshire of 178 by Emmott Robinson and Cecil Burton at Hull in 1921.

Wharton had hit two sixes on the first day - and he wasted no time in striking two more to get Yorkshire's total moving again, Mitch Wagstaff’s leg-spin pulled beyond mid-wicket and then pummelled over long-on.

Tattersall quickly had the nine he needed for his half-century, reached with a clip to leg off Zak Chappell, a stroke which simultaneously raised the 150 stand – landmarks loudly applauded by spectators who were perhaps just as keen to keep their hands warm.

With the pitch offering little and the bowlers even less, the only sniff of an opportunity had come with the total on 335-5.

Wharton lofted Wagstaff to deep cover, where Ross Whiteley made a valiant attempt flying forward with a full-length dive, Wharton reprieved three short of his 150.

That milestone followed from 180 balls and was celebrated with another pair of sixes, Alex Thomson thumped over mid-wicket and Wagstaff launched high into the Lake End.

Derbyshire looked bereft of ideas and incision too; why, if there was a Division Three, they might struggle for membership on this evidence, perhaps even for a proposer and seconder.

An early lunch brought respite of sorts and perhaps interrupted Wharton's concentration. He had not added to his score when he fell in the 15 minutes between the end of lunch at 1.35pm and a further downpour, edging Daryn Dupavillon low to second slip.

Jordan Thompson came in and cracked his first two balls to the boundary, and that was pretty much it, play officially called off at 4.30pm.

On his way out, Sir Geoffrey Boycott walked past the press tent.

“I liked last year better – sunshine,” he laughed.