VERDICT

The second week of the County Championship season might seem very early to be talking about relegation, but that is what Warwickshire’s ageing side are facing unless they buck up their ideas pretty soon.

With two fewer matches, counties who make a poor start have less opportunity to turn things around and the collective lack of form of Warwickshire’s batsmen is a concern.

With Ryan Sidebottom, their usual tormentor, sidelined by injury Warwickshire’s batsmen might have expected to prosper. Instead, they floundered against the accuracy of rookie Ben Coad.

“People say he’s come out of nowhere, but I played against him three years ago in a second team match at Stamford Bridge when I was coming back from my back issues,” said Warwickshire coach Jim Troughton.

“We only saw a little bit of him because it was a rain-affected match, but the lad hit a length and did it consistently.

Warwickshire could argue that they got the worst of the batting conditions, but that would be an easy excuse for the way they played.

Yorkshire’s batsman applied themselves better, and although they missed out on a bonus point when Warwickshire’s bowlers managed to apply the brakes, victory was always the target for the 2014 and 2015 champions.