India [ Images ] discard Harbhajan Singh [ Images ] put Surrey in control against Yorkshire with a magical spell on the opening day of the County Championship Division One match at Headingly on Friday.

The ace off-spinner claimed three wickets for one run off 24 balls to return figures of 20-8-34-3.

Yorkshire were restricted to 203 for 8 in 63 overs in the first innings.

The Indian's scalps included Yorkshire's top-scoring batsman Anthony McGrath (72), Tim Bresnan [ Images ] and Jason Gillespie.

Harbhajan had picked three wickets in the team's previous match as Surrey beat Durham.

Pace spearhead Matthew Nicholson also helped Surrey's cause with a haul of 14-4-52-3 as championship leaders Yorkshire struggled against pace and spin on a day curtailed by bad light and rain.

Nicholson dismissed both openers, knocking back Joe Sayers's leg-stump and trapping Craig White leg before wicket.

For Yorkshire, Gerard Brophy (22) and Adil Rashid [ Images ] (42 not out) also made useful contributions after skipper Darren Gough won the toss and elected to bat on an overcast morning.