Vic Craven, who is 24 today, came to the fore yesterday with a gutsy all-round display which gave Yorkshire at least a fighting chance of winning their hard-fought Championship battle with Derbyshire at Derby.

Craven first hit a career-best 81 not out to boost Yorkshire's first innings score to 354 and restrict Derbyshire's lead to 52 and he then bowled with great vigour to pick up two important wickets.

With the rest of the pace attack also looking much sharper, Derbyshire dipped at one stage to 176 for seven, with first innings centurion Chris Bassano unable to bat or take any further part in the game because of illness.

Derbyshire's overall lead was then only 228, but Ant Botha and Mo Sheikh turned the tables again by batting out the day's final 29 overs, their unbroken partnership of 75 pushing the score on to 251 for seven which put their side 303 in front.

Craven, fully justifying his selection in place of the injured Darren Lehmann, soon moved off his overnight 44 with three boundaries in one over from Paul Havell as he completed his first half century in two years.

When he had moved to 73 it overtook his previous best score, which was made against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl in 2002.

Richard Dawson also played some convincing strokes as the stand moved smartly on to 62 in 21 overs when Dawson fenced at a ball outside off stump from John Moss and was caught behind.

Andy Gray maintained the momentum with Craven until he hit Graeme Welch high into the covers and the tall Stephen Stubbings leaped for the catch.

Craven looked strong enough to score a maiden century, but the end came quickly for Yorkshire because John Blain and Steve Kirby fell in the space of three balls from Anthony Botha.

With none of his energy yet spent, Kirby produced one of his most fiery spells for some time.

In his first over a bouncer to Stubbings was hooked to long leg, where Craven held a fine catch tight on the rope.

Ian Harvey also bowled with more vim, but Andy Gait and Moss hit back strongly either side of lunch as both sides tried hard to gain the initiative, Gait inducing a few yawns with 12 in 21 overs before groping forward at John Blain and being bowled.

Moss was far more enterprising and he had made 56 from 70 balls with nine fours when he top-edged a pull at Blain and the ball lobbed to Gray in the slips.

Craven stepped in by having James Bryant caught behind off a sharply rising ball and two overs later he trapped Luke Sutton lbw.

Yorkshire went from strength to strength as Welch chipped back a catch to Dawson and dangerman Hassan Adman flayed at Kirby and edged to Ismail Dawood.

But the pendulum swung Derbyshire's way again as Botha and Mo Sheikh combined in an eighth wicket stand, Botha ending on 42 and Sheikh 18.

Updated: 09:57 Saturday, July 31, 2004