YORKSHIRE'S two Ws - Craig White and Matthew Wood - made sure that the Championship will be decided at North Marine Road at some stage over the next couple of days unless Glamorgan can hold out for an unexpected draw.

The pair both plundered thrilling centuries to rush Yorkshire towards 400 and maximum batting bonus points and when they got there it meant that a win would guarantee them the title.

Yorkshire closed the second day on 433 for five with a formidable lead of 210 and with their tails up they will be looking to work their way quickly through the Glamorgan second innings.

It is only a fortnight since White and Wood featured in an opening partnership of 309 in the Roses match at Old Trafford but this time they put on only 32 for the first wicket before Wood was injured - and then 243 for the second when he returned yesterday.

Wood had six stitches inserted into his left cheek after a bouncer from Simon Jones on Tuesday evening pushed the grille on his helmet into his face but he was anxious to get back into the fray yesterday and he did not have long to wait.

Nightwatchman Steven Kirby was out to Jones's third ball of the morning and Wood came in to pull the last delivery of the over into the crowd for six to banish all doubts from his mind.

White gave the hardest of chances to gully in the following over but from then he was as sound as a pound on his home ground, striking everything off the meat of the bat and cutting and driving anything short with great relish.

It is ironic that England persevered with White this summer while he was out of sorts with bat and ball, dropping him only when he had returned to prime form, but there is no doubt that he will be in this winter's tour parties for Zimbabwe, if it goes ahead, India and New Zealand when they are announced.

Wood was only slightly less destructive as he and White moved to their half-centuries on the way to a century stand in 28 overs before White increased the tempo by blasting Dean Cosker for two sixes, one of them landing on the pavilion balcony.

White wasted no time in the 90s, driving and pulling Darren Thomas to go to his tenth century for Yorkshire off 133 balls with 13 fours and two sixes, and he was dismissing of everything Glamorgan served up after lunch.

The bowling and fielding never wilted, however, and Wood was more circumspect as he worked his way through the 90s, reaching his fourth century of the season with a neat cover drive off Cosker.

The colt had gone on to 124 when he was lbw cutting at Cosker after batting for 263 minutes during which he faced 240 balls and hit 18 fours and a six.

Michael Vaughan played nicely while White went smoothly on to 183 but was then denied his first double century by Thomas who plucked out his off-stump.

White had received 273 balls, rapping out 25 fours and two sixes, and like Wood he came back to a standing ovation from the 6,000 strong crowd.

Darren Lehmann, too eager to set off some explosives, went for a mighty drive only to chip back a catch to Cosker and when Vaughan chopped Steve Watkin into his stumps Yorkshire were 374 for 5.

But Anthony McGrath and David Byas took advantage of tiring bowling which never fell apart and when Byas pulled Jones for four to take the score to 400 and maximum bonus points, the captain celebrated by hooking the next ball for six.

The sixth wicket stand was worth 59 at stumps, McGrath having made 29 and Byas 31 and they will need to add quite a few more today before Byas considers a declaration.

Updated: 08:41 Thursday, August 23, 2001