Bairstow shines, Finn makes successful return

England batsman Jonny Bairstow and Australian-born opener Sam Robson both scored double centuries while Steven Finn made a successful return from injury in county action on Monday.

Bairstow reached 246 from just 270 deliveries as reigning champions Yorkshire dominated day two of their Division One county cricket clash with Hampshire at Headingley.

He combined with England quick Liam Plunkett in a 227-run stand, with the latter scoring his first century for Yorkshire, from just 82 balls.

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Together, the pair added 227 in 28 overs in an extraordinary blitz - Bairstow slamming the highest score against Hampshire in 13 years. 

The keeper-batsman has now scored 1354 runs at county level at the extraordinary average of 104.15 since the beginning of last season. 

With Yorkshire having declared at 9-593, Plunkett then continued his good form with the ball, taking 2-31 as Hampshire were reduced to 5-141 at stumps.

"It could have been a very tricky morning session," Bairstow said after play.

"We know how important the morning sessions are here. It was our natural games and just the way it evolved.

"Then the way Liam came out and played was absolutely fantastic.

"You saw from ball one how cleanly he came out and struck it. When someone's striking it like that, you just let them go as long as possible."

At Lord’s, Robson continued his run-fest, adding a further 56 to his overnight score to reach 231 before Middlesex were dismissed for 452 on the second day of their showdown with Warwickshire.

Robson’s knock was a timely reminder to England selectors – while his most recent Test appearance for England was in August 2014, incumbents Alex Hales and Nick Compton are under pressure and after the shock retirement of James Taylor, England's batting line-up for the first Test of the summer against Sri Lanka at Headingley remains unclear.

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In other pleasing signs for England selectors, Finn snared two wickets – including one with his first ball – on his first competitive appearance since England's third Test against South Africa in January, having missed the World T20 due to a calf injury.

"I probably couldn't have found a better ball first up,” Finn told BBC London.

"I'm where I want to be. I felt in good rhythm. This is a nice starting block. There's no magic answer apart from bowling and getting rhythm that way.”

Warwickshire reached 4-146 at stumps with former England batsman Jonathan Trott unbeaten on 62.

In Hove, England captain Alastair Cook complied with new helmet regulations in Essex's Division Two match against Sussex, but lasted only five balls as he was dismissed for one.

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Cook wore his old helmet when compiling a century against Gloucestershire last week, but the 31-year-old could have been reported to the ECB’s disciplinary committee if he continued to defy new regulations and wear the model that has an adjustable grille and a large gap between peak and grille.

Making the switch on Monday after Sussex were dismissed for 360, Cook scored just one run before he was caught in the slips off Australian journeyman Steve Magoffin.

However, handy knocks from Tom Westley (86) and former New Zealand international Jesse Ryder (51) helped Essex to 7-252 at stumps.

Elsewhere, Western Australia opener Cameron Bancroft was dismissed for 41 as Gloucestershire reached 1-110 in reply to Derbyshire’s 444 in Bristol.

In Cardiff, former South Australian batsman and Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove was dismissed for a duck as his team reached 6-297 in reply to Glamorgan’s 348 on the second day of their match.

Click here for the full details from this round of county cricket