Durham won the toss and elected to field first, which proved fruitful when they picked up three wickets before the session was brought to an early halt due to bad light and then extended rain showers ensure play didn’t re-start until late afternoon.
Yorkshire were 0-1 after Graham Onions struck with the sixth delivery of the day, with Adam Lyth caught by Michael Di Venuto at second slip.
Callum Thorp struck with the last ball of the fourth over, with Anthony McGrath trapped lbw for just 3.
Andrew Gale (9) gave Onions his second scalp when he was caught at third slip by Scott Borthwick with Yorkshire 28-3 in the 11th over.
The visitors were 66-3 after 17.3 overs when bad light followed by continuous rain kept the sides from re-starting.
Play resumed at 4.30pm with 35.3 overs remaining in the day.
Two wickets in as many overs in the first fifteen minutes of play saw Stephen Harmison send Root, who was caught in the slips by Borthwick on 27, and Ballance (0) back to the pavilion as the Yorkshire total fell to 76-5.
Onions dismissed the in-form Jonathan Bairstow, who was caught at slip by Paul Collingwood for 38 in the 26th over as Yorkshire reached 90-6.
Three wickets fell within fifteen deliveries with Rashid caught behind off Collingwood three short of his fifty, followed by a run out from Scott Borthwick which saw Pyrah run out for 18. The returning Collingwood claimed his second wicket when he had Ryan Sidebottom caught behind for 3 as Yorkshire ploughed on to 152-9.
The attack couldn’t quite break the final pair before the close and at the end of day two Yorkshire were 170-9.
Day two highlights will be available online from Monday morning and will be posted at www.durhamccc.co.uk/durhamtv