Watch highlights of day one
Alex Lees was the trusty foundation as LV= County Championship Division One champions Yorkshire struggled nonetheless to impose themselves on the first day of their final match at home to Somerset.
Lees, who made 83, began with the personal milestone of 1,000 championship runs this season a feasible ambition - and after one of two possible remaining innings at Headingley, he had taken his tally to 952 on the day he was awarded his county cap.
The White Rose, who won their first title in 13 years when they beat Nottinghamshire two weeks ago, have the collective incentive of modern history in the making - because victory here would carry them to a record points tally since the advent of two divisions.
By the close of a day shortened by bad light to 78.2 overs, Lees and a gritty Jack Leaning, who has 50 to his name, had helped to bank just a solitary point - 241 for nine taking the champions to 247 points overall.
After Yorkshire won the toss on a hazy morning, Lees and Adam Lyth - whose opening partnership has been such a cornerstone of their team's success this summer - began as if to extend their combined reputation.
Peter Trego conceded 18 runs from his first seven deliveries, as he and Alfonso Thomas struggled initially to find their line.
Both left-handers were under way with early boundaries. But the prolific Lyth's occupation was short-lived this time after edging Thomas low to slip in the fifth over to depart for 10.
Gary Ballance also fell cheaply, stuck in the crease to another good delivery from Thomas and edging some late movement behind.
Joe Root, once again captaining the side in the absence of the suspended Andrew Gale, was then twice dropped, in a sketchy stay.
He could take only minor advantage, though, helping Lees to add 63 for the third wicket before Jamie Overton - back for his first championship appearance since mid-summer - had him inside-edging on to his stumps on 35.
Jonny Bairstow went early in the afternoon, bowled off his pads by the much-improved Trego - so it fell to Leaning to give Lees deserved support.
The opener had continued to bat without alarm and with occasional adventure but was eventually fifth out, driving on the up at Trego and edging behind.
Adil Rashid crunched a low return catch to Tim Groenewald to depart without scoring - and when Richard Pyrah was lbw pushing forward to the same bowler, Yorkshire had lost three wickets for only eight runs.
The onus was therefore on Leaning to add to his three previous first-class half-centuries, if Yorkshire were to eke out a par score on a surface unarguably giving the bowlers a little help.
He and Steve Patterson at least earned a first batting point, and Leaning was still in situ with last man Jack Brooks when the players left the field for the second and last time to bring an early close.
Lees, whose father Simon died of cancer three years ago, in the infancy of his son's professional cricket career, said: “I think it's fair to say that it's my proudest moment thus far in my life really.
One of the biggest honours in cricket. Proudest and most overwhelming feeling in my life #whatayear#openrosepic.twitter.com/LR8UnNOAoX
— Alex Lees (@aleesy14) September 23, 2014
"I lost my dad Simon in 2011, so that was a tribute to him. He brought me up and spent countless hours in the garden with me.
"Unfortunately, he never really saw me as a professional - so to come through and be capped this morning really touched me. It was quite an overwhelming feeling."
Skipper Gale added: "One of the good things about being captain is seeing the young lads when they come through and see how hard they worked.
"Leesy was crying his eyes out in the dressing room this morning. For a young lad he's been through a lot in his life, with the passing of his dad a few years ago.
"For him to be rewarded with his county cap was quite emotional, not just for himself but for the other lads in the dressing room."