Day 3: Yorkshire 372 (Lyth 113, Rhodes 61, Riley 3-90) and 73 for 1 beat MCC 221 (Hildreth 89, Rhodes 2-10) and 220 (Compton 74, Rashid 4-72) by nine wickets
There were contrasting fortunes for two of England's party for the Test tour of West Indies next month as Yorkshire, the county champions, thumped MCC by nine wickets inside three days in Abu Dhabi. Alastair Cook made just 5, to add to his first innings 3, but Adil Rashid took four wickets on the third day.
Cook, in his last competitive innings before the first Test in Antigua, lasted only 30 balls and made just 5 in MCC's second innings before his attempt to dispatch a short ball from Jack Brooks went straight into the hands of Rashid at midwicket.
Rashid then took the ball to remove Daryll Mitchell for 9 and James Hildreth one short of a half-century, both lbw. Hildreth and Nick Compton, the only player to go past a half-century in the second innings, steadied MCC, who began the day 138 runs in arrears, with a stand of 45 for the third wicket. But Compton fell to Yorkshire youngster Will Rhodes for 74.
Hildreth's departure heralded a miserable lower-order collapse of 5 for 27, with Rashid taking the final two wickets to leave Yorkshire with a chase of just 70. First-innings centurion Adam Lyth saw off the target with an unbeaten 46, finishing the match with successive boundaries.
Day 2: MCC 221 and 13 for 0 trail Yorkshire 372 (Lyth 113, Rhodes 61, Hodd 57, Riley 3-90) by 138 runs
The case for Adam Lyth to become Alastair Cook's next opening partner in Test cricket grew stronger as Yorkshire continued to dominate the Champions County match in Abu Dhabi. Lyth progressed from his overnight score of 53 to a 15th first-class hundred, with Cook watching on from slip, to help his side to a 151-run first-innings advantage over MCC.
Cook, who lasted just six balls on the first day, then had to weather a tricky five-over spell before the close, which included a strident lbw appeal from Jack Brooks. The England captain survived and will have the opportunity to build some form of his own on Tuesday.
Lyth is likely to face competition from Jonathan Trott for a role as opener on England's Test tour of the Caribbean but did his chances of an international debut no harm by becoming the first centurion of the new domestic season, picking up from his fine form in 2014. Lyth, who said his call up had led to a few tears being shed, has already started networking.
"I've chatted with Cookie over the past few days," Lyth told the Guardian. "He said: 'Play how you do for Yorkshire and you'll be fine. And if you need a chat you know where I am.' He seems a really nice guy and very humble. His Test record is up there with the very best and hopefully I'll be batting alongside him in the West Indies if I can impress him and the coaches."
Yorkshire had already made a solid start in reply to MCC's 221 and, although the first session was interrupted by a rain delay, nightwatchman Steve Patterson stuck with Lyth during a 91-run stand for the third wicket that further reduced the arrears. Patterson and Lyth both fell to Kent offspinner Adam Riley but Will Rhodes, on first-class debut, and Andy Hodd put on 104 as Yorkshire opened up a sizeable lead.
Rhodes and Hodd both posted fifties before falling to Chris Rushworth and Matt Dunn, respectively. Graham Onions continued to sit out with a groin strain, leaving Riley and Surrey's slow left-armer Zafar Ansari, to do the bulk of the work, as Yorkshire were eventually dismissed for 372.
Day 1: Yorkshire 82 for 2 (Lyth 53*) trail MCC 221 (Hildreth 89, Mitchell 54, Rhodes 2-10, Sidebottom 2-27) by 139 runs
Alastair Cook lasted just six balls on his return to action, three months after his last innings on England's tour of Sri Lanka, but he was then able to enjoy a first-hand view of the man who could be his next Test opening partner, as Adam Lyth's unbeaten half-century set the cap on a successful day for Yorkshire in the Champion County match.
Yorkshire have provided six members of England's Test squad for the West Indies and three of them lined up against Cook, who took his place in the MCC XI alongside several recent international team-mates in Nick Compton, Michael Carberry and Graham Onions. Yorkshire were missing Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Liam Plunkett, all of whom will be in the Caribbean, but still put on a strong display in Abu Dhabi.
Ryan Sidebottom proved he still remains a force, even in his 38th year, by removing both the MCC openers inside three overs. Compton and Cook opened the batting for England 17 times in Tests but they were separated after one delivery, with MCC captain Compton caught behind off the first ball of the match.
Cook was then pinned lbw for 3 in Sidebottom's second over and trooped off in a fashion that became familiar in his final series as England's ODI captain, a position he was relieved of weeks before the World Cup. Cook's last first-class innings came against India in August but he is likely to get another outing here before heading to the West Indies for three Tests.
MCC recovered from 7 for 2, firstly through Carberry and James Hildreth, who added 74 for the third wicket; then Hildreth and Daryl Mitchell, whose stand of 79 seemed to have swung the balance somewhat. However, both fell in the evening session - that is, between lunch and tea, with this match being played under lights with a pink ball - and Zafar Ansari was the only other batsman to make double-figures as the innings folded quickly.
Sam Billings, Kent's prospective England wicketkeeper, joined Compton in making a duck as Jack Brooks, Adil Rashid and Will Rhodes matched Sidebottom in taking two wickets apiece.
In reply, Alex Lees, another Yorkshireman tipped for England though left out of the current squad, fell for 11 and Jack Leaning made just 14 but Lyth guided the 2014 champions to the close. Lyth struck six fours with Cook watching on in the field and the 27-year-old will hope to continue the good impression ahead of his first England tour.
MCC were further hampered by a groin problem that forced Onions out of the attack after 3.5 overs. Onions, who is entering a benefit season with Durham and has spent the winter recovering from back surgery, will be assessed on Monday.
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