MATTHEW Wood made further significant progress towards becoming the first Yorkshire batsman to reach 1,000 first class runs this season by hammering 155 against Hampshire at Scarborough yesterday to take his tally to 910.

Yorkshire were in complete command at 303-2 on a good batting pitch but Wood's dismissal was the first of three wickets to go down in the space of eight balls without addition to the score.

Although they had been unexpectedly pegged back, Yorkshire were still handily placed at the close when they were 326-5.

Wood's only serious rival to be first to the 1,000 mark is Michael Lumb, who helped the acting captain pile up 154 in 44 overs for the third wicket, and when he was out for 64 it left him standing on 811.

On a good batting pitch with little in it for Hampshire's mediocre attack, Yorkshire made generally untroubled progress for much of the time after winning the toss.

However, they had to get over a snail-like start from Wood's opening partner, New Zealander Stephen Fleming.

He was in 47 minutes before getting off the mark with a mistimed pull which went over the slips for two off the 40th ball he received and he had been in 69 deliveries for 16 when he drove James Bruce gently to captain John Crawley at mid-off.

The openers had put on 55 together and Vic Craven, in his first Championship appearance of the summer, came in to add 94 with Wood, the left-hander batting with increasing confidence until he fell lbw to a half-hearted appeal from Dimitri Mascarenhas for 47.

Wood by then had completed his half century and at 74 he gave his only chance when off-spinner Shaun Udal had him turning a ball into the hands of Simon Katich at backward short but it popped out of the Australian's hands.

Udal bowled 28 overs off the reel from the pavilion end but nothing much troubled either Wood or Lumb as they assumed control and Wood went to his third century of the season off 221 balls with 15 fours.

Lumb arrived at the 50 mark soon after tea as Yorkshire continued to prosper but they were suddenly stopped in their tracks by Tremlett and Mascarenhas.

The slide started when Wood drove Tremlett firmly into the covers where he was well caught at shoulder height by Crawley diving to his left after packing 19 boundaries into his 286-ball innings.

Wood's standing ovation from the 3,000 crowd had barely ended when Lumb and White were lbw off consecutive balls in the next over from Mascarenhas, Lumb having faced 130 deliveries off which he struck eight fours.

Going for the hat-trick, Mascarenhas sent down a no-ball which Simon Guy whacked through the covers for four before keeping out the next legitimate ball and the Yorkshire wicketkeeper and Yuvraj Singh, who is in desperate need of a good innings carefully played out the day's remaining overs.

Updated: 09:37 Thursday, July 24, 2003