ZERO LUCK FOR ROOT AND COOK

JOE ROOT and Alastair Cook both made ducks on a chaotic opening day at Chelmsford — less than three weeks before the first Test against Pakistan. In Root’s first outing of the season, his first-baller — caught in the slips by Cook, his predecessor as England captain — came as Yorkshire were dismissed for 50, their lowest Championship score since 1973. But Essex could manage only 142 in reply, with Cook edging his sixth ball, from Jack Brooks, through to Test team-mate Jonny Bairstow. Bairstow then took the game by the scruff of the neck, moving up to open in the second innings and thrashing a 42-ball half-century. It was a rare bright spot for England’s Test batsmen across the country. Opener Mark Stoneman was run out for 28 for Surrey against Worcestershire at The Oval after looking well set. Test hopeful Ben Foakes did produce a classy 72 for Surrey but Dawid Malan made just 13 as Middlesex slipped to 230 against Sussex at Hove, and Hampshire’s James Vince was out for five against Nottinghamshire. At Old Trafford, meanwhile, Marcus Trescothick, 42, suffered a leg injury but took a century off a Lancashire attack including James Anderson. In his first appearance of the season, Anderson — who has bleached his hair — finished wicketless from his 19 overs. But Test new-ball partner Stuart Broad removed Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams and Joe Weatherley cheaply at Trent Bridge.