GAVIN Hamilton marked his return to Yorkshire's team after a year's absence with a career-best 143no on the first day of the three-day match against Bradford-Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence at Bradford Park Avenue yesterday.

There was a century too for Richard Blakey as Yorkshire plundered 409-3 in 82 overs off a generally weak attack before declaring and the Universities were 17-1 when bad light stopped play ten minutes early.

Hamilton dropped out of York-shire's team early last season when psychological problems affected his bowling and it remained unclear yesterday whether he would bowl in this game. If he feels unable to do so, Yorkshire will probably have to talk to him about his future and decide if he is good enough to be retained purely as a batsman.

Although Bradford-Leeds were obviously out of their class, they were weakened by two serious injuries in the field, both opening bowler Bilal Ijaz and batsman Tabassum Bhatti having to go to hospital with dislocated fingers which could also be broken.

Put in to bat, Yorkshire were given a solid start by captain Matthew Wood and Craig White who put on 129 for the first wicket in 30 overs.

White, in his first game of the season, showed he is recovering well from his rib operation by hitting a confident 65 off 76 balls with 12 fours and he looks certain to be included in Yorkshire Phoenix's side for the match at Kent Spitfires on Sunday.

Wood was also grateful for the chance to relax and play some strokes and he hit 63 from 103 deliveries with seven fours and a six before he and White fell in the same over from leg-spinner Mark Bagley, who extracted plenty of turn from the pitch.

Blakey and Hamilton wasted no time in taking a heavy toll of the bowling which, apart from Bagley and former Yorkshire seamer Chris Elstub, was not too troublesome.

The pair completed their tons within a few balls of each other and had thrashed 247 together off only 47 overs when Blakey drove Elstub to mid-off after making 117 from 139 deliveries with 16 fours and two sixes.

Hamilton, who drove three huge sixes on to the old football field, also amassed 17 fours and at the declaration had received 168 balls.

Pieter Swanepoel claimed a wicket with his fifth delivery which Jamie Kennaway hit to Wood at mid-off but Simon Webb and Bagley survived the next six overs in fading light.

Updated: 10:01 Thursday, June 05, 2003