YORKSHIRE showed such commitment at Guildford yesterday that they not only made sure that their game against leaders Surrey went into a fourth day but they also gave themselves an outside chance of pulling off an astonishing victory.

After wiping out a first innings deficit of 210, they batted with sufficient purpose in baking heat to set a 237 target and Surrey were standing nervously on 110-3 at the close with a further 127 wanted.

Yorkshire's total of 446 was built around a sparkling career-best knock of 124 from Michael Lumb who showed bags of character when he resumed yesterday on 68 out of 254-3.

He had matched Darren Lehmann shot for shot on the previous evening but once his captain had appeared to be given out unjustly, Lumb showed the responsible side of his nature by settling down and batting with much greater care.

Lehmann, 55 overnight, had added only six when everyone heard what sounded like a snick on to his pads but umpire Kenny Palmer upheld Ed Giddins' lbw appeal.

Yorkshire had felt that Anthony McGrath had been harshly adjudged caught behind earlier on and there was a similar feeling in the visiting dressing room when Gary Fellows was given out to a ball which may have brushed his pad on its way into Jon Batty's gloves.

Lumb and Fellows had added a valuable 68 in 30 overs during which time Lumb had gone to the second century of his career off 157 balls with 17 fours and he added three more boundaries off a further 39 deliveries before Ian Salisbury came on and had him caught off bat and pad with his second ball.

Lumb's fine innings was two runs higher than the 122 he went on to make after completing his maiden century against Leicestershire at Headingley last year before a serious knee injury caused him to miss the second half of the season.

Yorkshire refused to throw their wickets away and Richard Blakey was the lynchpin in the latter stages of the innings but after reaching 50 from 90 balls with seven fours he was last out, edging an intended cut at Rikki Clarke into the hands of Alistair Brown at first slip.

Surrey openers Ian Ward and Batty were allowed no liberties as they tried to inflict upon Yorkshire their sixth defeat of the season.

Ward batted with greater conviction than his partner who had contributed 16 to the first wicket stand of 52 when he shouldered arms going back to Ryan Sidebottom and was bowled.

Partnered by Mark Ramprakash, Ward broke two bats and was using his third when he recorded his 50 from 93 balls.

Things then went sour for Surrey when Ramprakash was lbw to Chris Silverwood and Nadeem Shahid gave a bat and pad catch to Lumb at short leg to bring Dawson a wicket.

Suddenly, Surrey were under considerable pressure and nightwatchman Salisbury survived some anxious moments with Ward who finished unbeaten on 67.

Yorkshire add Chris Elstub to the sqiuad for tomorrow's Norwich Union match at Worcester.

Updated: 11:19 Saturday, July 27, 2002