YORKSHIRE'S decision to bat on into the afternoon and set Leicestershire an almost impossible 539 for victory backfired yesterday as they left themselves with insufficient time to bowl out their opponents.

A defiant unbeaten century from skipper Vince Wells who took part in an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 113 with Phil DeFreitas halted Yorkshire's victory charge.

Even the extra half hour could not shift the pair and Leicestershire were due to resume today on 245 for 7.

The 294 runs they need is well beyond them but if the weather is as bad as has been forecast then Yorkshire may be denied the win which could lead to them winning the Championship at Scarborough next week when they meet Glamorgan.

If Yorkshire are victorious today and go on to take a maximum 20 points off Glamorgan they would be the champions.

That would leave it impossible for Somerset to overhaul them even if Yorkshire did not take another point from their last two matches. They could finish level on points if Somerset gained the maximum from their last three games but Yorkshire would take the crown by virtue of having more wins.

Yorkshire refused to declare until quarter-of-an-hour in the afternoon session when their lead was a humiliating 538.

David Byas, who made his third century of the season, shunned any thought of an earlier declaration.

Leicestershire were under siege immediately they began their innings as Steven Kirby and Paul Hutchison made splendid use of the new ball to leave the home side reeling on 53 for 5 inside 13 overs.

Kirby was up to his old tricks against his former county, running down the pitch and eyeballing the batsman as well as passing on a few choice words.

Wells, coming in at the fall of the fifth wicket, responded angrily to Kirby's yapping and followed him back to his mark with a thunderous look.

Umpire Bob White intervened and had a long talk with Byas who then motioned to Kirby to "zip it". White later said that he had not issued any official warning.

Hutchison in his first over swinging one away from Trevor Ward to have him caught low at slip by Byas and Iain Sutcliffe then shouldering arms at Kirby to have his off-stump flattened.

Hutchison responded by having Ben Smith caught low down in the gully by Vaughan before Kirby beat Aftab Habib off the pitch and bowled him and Darren Stevens edged another catch to Byas.

Darren Maddy had put on 69 with Wells when he gave a bat and pad catch off White who followed up in his next over by getting Neil Burns caught behind without scoring.

It appeared as if Leicestershire were as good as finished at 132 for 7 with clock standing at 5.12pm but Wells and DeFreitas then withstood everything that Yorkshire could hurl at them.

Wells reached his century at 199 for 7 off 107 balls with 14 fours and a six and Yorkshire were forced to claim the extra half hour at 224 for 7.

The resistance continued, however, and Yorkshire never came close to separating the pair, Wells finishing on 123 and DeFreitas 47.

In the morning, Darren Lehmann galloped on from his overnight 141 to 193 before James Ormond brought him out of his crease and had him stumped during a long spell of off-spin. Lehmann's innings lasted for 286 balls off which he struck 23 fours and two sixes.

He put on 186 in 45 overs for the fourth wicket with Byas who had to wait until the afternoon to score the single he needed to complete his own century which came from 171 balls with eight fours.

He was then caught driving Ormond high to long-off but the innings dragged on for another ten minutes or so, a decision which Byas was later probably regretting.

Updated: 09:49 Saturday, August 18, 2001