Gavin Hamilton just managed to steer Yorkshire to a maximum five batting bonus points before they were bowled out for 401 by Kent at Canterbury today.

Yorkshire needed to bowl out their opponents for under 252 in order to enforce the follow on if they wanted to, but David Fulton and Robert Key made a solid start with 26 off the first eight overs.

Yorkshire had started the second day on 365 for seven and after Hamilton had off-driven Martin Saggers firmly for four Ian Fisher smacked a slower ball from David Masters to the cover boundary.

The eighth-wicket pair moved the score on to 384 before Fisher slashed at Saggers and Mark Ealham held a stunning two-handed catch at backward point.

Eight runs later Hoggard was caught low down at third slip by Matthew Walker, leaving last man Greg Lambert to try to keep Hamilton company to the 400 mark.

He did so quite calmly and there was generous applause when the 6ft 8in youngster pushed a single into the covers to make it mission achieved, but one run later Hamilton was run out for 28, his straight drive at Saggers being fielded by Key who threw down the stumps.

Lambert was soon in action again as he shared the new ball with Hoggard who was immediately struck to the mid-wicket fence by Fulton and Key steered Lambert to the third-man boundary.

Anthony McGrath plundered his first century of the season and Darren Lehmann his fourth as they piled up the runs yesterday.

Both then got out within three runs of each other after slamming 195 together off only 38 overs for the third wicket in a lavish exhibition of strokeplay.

McGrath powered his way to 133 off 234 balls with 17 fours and two sixes, while Lehmann dashed along in such style that his 116 came off only 105 deliveries and contained 15 boundaries.

Lehmann's century was the fastest of the season in the country, being scored off a mere 89 balls and beating by four deliveries the previous quickest by Brian Lara for the West Indies against the Zimbabweans.

Unless it is overtaken in the last week of the season, Lehmann will receive the Walter Lawrence Trophy and £1,000.

It was the Australian's sixth consecutive Championship score above 50 and it took him back to the top of the list of the country's leading run-makers, his tally now standing at 1,297 and putting him ahead of fellow countrymen Justin Langer and Stuart Law.

SCOREBOARD

Kent v Yorkshire

at Canterbury

Yorkshire First Innings Close

Widdup c Dravid b Masters 3

Vaughan c Dravid b Fleming 69

McGrath c Nixon b Fleming 133

Lehmann c Nixon b Fleming 116

Byas c Dravid b Saggers 7

Fellows c Nixon b Fleming 4

Hamilton run out 28

Guy b Masters 7

Fisher c Ealham b Saggers 16

Hoggard c Walker b Masters 2

Lambert not out 3

Extras 13

Total 9 wkts (115 overs) 401

Fall: 1-9 2-132 3-327 4-330 5-336 6-344 7-355 8-384 9-391

Kent First Innings

Fulton not out 14

Key not out 18

Extras 2

Total 0 wkts (9.2 overs) 34

Today's games

PPP healthcare County Championship

Division One, Southampton (day 2 of 4): Hampshire 522 (Prittipaul 152, Kendall 143, Mascarenhas 62, Lacey 4-98) v Derbyshire 217-3 (Sutton 77, Di Venuto 52) - rain stopped play; The Oval (day 3 of 4): Surrey 453-4 dec (Butcher 191, Ward 144) v Durham 165-6 (Katich 77, Salisbury 4-62) - start delayed by rain; Old Trafford (day 1 of 4): Lancashire v Somerset 73-4 (25.4 overs).

Division Two, Hove (day 2 of 4): Sussex 138 (Harvey 6-19) v Gloucestershire 171-4 (Harvey 60, 54.2 overs); Northampton (day 3 of 4): Essex 233 (Law 59, Brown 4-34) v Northamptonshire 397-9 (Hayden 164, Sales 61) - rain stopped play; Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 371 (Gallian 150, Reiffel 50, Watkin 5-99) v Glamorgan 187 (Croft 56,Harris 5-69) & 111-4; Lord's (day 4 of 4): Warwickshire 416 (Hemp 129, Powell 92, Ostler 52) & 109-1 (Wagh 74 no) v Middlesex 350-5 dec (Ramprakash 88 no, Strauss 75, Langer 70) - start delayed rain.

Norwich Union NCL

Division One, Leicester: Leicestershire Foxes v Worcestershire Royals (4.10).