Yorkshire CCC on top at their heavenly outground

‘Heaven’ was the only word to describe how the ground looked on Monday, with barely a cloud in the sky before tea.

The pavilion, the stands, the marquee looked a picture – one fit to be displayed in The National Gallery - while seagulls soared and swooped on the breeze, refreshing enough on this warmest of days.

It was the kind of sight, without getting too wishy-washy about it all, when one felt happy and lucky to be alive. Throw in the scenery a stone’s throw away, with the gorgeous North Bay and its window out to sea, and here was a glimpse of paradise on our planet - who needs Barbados if you’ve got ‘Scarbados’?

As for the cricket it was always compelling, Yorkshire raising their first innings score from 348-3 overnight to 456 before Gloucestershire reached 168-7 at stumps on day two, needing 307 to avoid the follow-on.

For the 2,300 crowd it was an experience to treasure, even if this particular bucket list item would, for most, have been chalked off many times, each visit leading to another in the manner of ritual.

Sun hats and sunscreen were the order of the day from the moment when Ajeet Singh Dale, the 23-year-old pace bowler, sent down the first delivery from the Trafalgar Square end. George Hill drove it gloriously through the covers for four towards the pin-striped deckchairs in front of the marquee, a stroke that immediately gave Yorkshire their third batting bonus point.

A fourth did not materialise, though, as Gloucestershire fought back with unexpected purpose, having looked somewhat bereft while Adam Lyth and Fin Bean were in the throes of an opening partnership of 307 on a memorable first day.

Instead, Yorkshire fell nine short of 400 within the 110-over cut-off, although Gloucestershire did claim a second bowling bonus point with one ball to spare, the Australian all-rounder Beau Webster - who sounds like a character from Downton Abbey - darting a fine delivery through Matty Revis to get the sixth Yorkshire wicket.

The first session was particularly entertaining, Yorkshire scoring 108 for the loss of those last seven wickets in 24 overs. As the refreshment outlets did a handsome trade, with spectators needing hydration from the get-go, Singh Dale had Dom Bess defending to second slip and then Will Luxton leg-before, although it seemed harsh on the young batsman, the ball surely missing leg.

After Revis went, Jonny Tattersall got a good one from Zaman Akhter that drew the feather of an edge before Hill, who had played superbly, seemed a victim of the surface. A ball from Dominic Goodman just did not get up as Hill attempted to turn it to leg, the young all-rounder leaving for 44 from 74 balls with seven fours.

Goodman bagged a second when Conor McKerr was caught in the gully, but Gloucestershire were frustrated by Jordan Thompson. ‘The man who makes things happen’ - the sort of nickname that one might expect an entertainer on the local seafront to possess - went on the attack instantly, crashing Webster for a four through point and then hoisting him over cover for six, causing a lost ball behind greenery in front of the West Stand.

Thompson hit three further sixes before skying to deep mid-wicket, which brought the innings to a close ten minutes before the scheduled lunch break. Moments earlier, spectators at the Peasholm Park end had been roused to fury, for the second time, in fact, by the sight of two stewards ambling obliviously behind the bowler’s arm – “gerr’owt ruddy way,” they bellowed and bawled, threatening a minor riot towards a pair who, ironically, had “crowd safety” on their backs.

Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth, the Gloucestershire openers, played carefully and cautiously after the interval. Yorkshire toiled but wickets proved elusive; there was frustration - not least for the fielder - when Bean lost sight of a catching opportunity at third slip when Thompson found the edge of Charlesworth’s blade, the ball running away for four, as it so often does.

Perseverance brought its reward eventually when, with the total at 62 in the 27th over, Thompson had a driving Bancroft caught low down at second by Lyth. A second wicket came from the last ball before tea, Charlesworth nibbling at Revis and paying the price.

Amid the cloudier skies of late afternoon, Miles Hammond tried to make something happen against Bess and was bowled for his trouble. Vishwa Fernando bowled James Bracey with one that kept low, Revis had Ollie Price caught behind on the pull before castling Webster, and Thompson had Graeme van Buuren held by Hill at first slip.

It left Yorkshire on top at this heavenly setting, one fit to inspire any 1980s pop song.