Darren Lehmann became the country's leading run-scorer again following his 115 against Leicestershire at Grace Road on Saturday and his dazzling century made sure that Yorkshire stay second in the table to Championship leaders Surrey.

The two giants now fight it out at Scarborough in their next match starting on August 30 and if Yorkshire can come out on top they will have whittled away most of Surrey's 17-point advantage.

Yorkshire needed to salvage two batting bonus points to be sure of staying ahead of Lancashire when their rain-wrecked encounter with Leicestershire was able to resume at 2.30 and this meant taking their score on from 194 for five to at least 250.

But such was Lehmann's brilliance that they had dashed to 340 by the time the last wicket fell for the game to end in a draw and ten points from the match gave them a two-point cushion as Lancashire went on to overcome Kent.

Lehmann was 51 and Gavin Hamilton 58 when they continued their sixth wicket stand and the formality of scoring the eight runs required to avoid the follow-on had only just been achieved when Hamilton was bowled for 66 by a snorter from Jon Dakin which barely left the ground.

Nothing, however, could stand in the way of Lehmann and slow and quick bowling were treated alike by the acting captain as he ploughed on, first adding 58 in 16 overs with the nimble wicketkeeper, Simon Guy, and then 47 in ten overs with the ever-improving Ian Fisher.

Lehmann smashed off-spinner Carl Crowe for a legside six on his way to his third century of the season for Yorkshire, and his tenth since joining the club, and he reserved much of his aggression for Jon Dakin until the burly paceman swooped on a savage return drive to hold a remarkable catch at ankle height.

Lehmann's 115 contained 18 fours and a six and it took his tally to the season to 1,115, once again pushing him ahead of fellow Australian Michael Bevan and other contenders for the title of top run-maker.

Guy was out hooking at Dakin before Lehmann departed and although Fisher and Chris Silverwood made valiant attempts to secure Yorkshire a fourth batting bonus point they could not quite manage it, Crowe dismissing both of them as they went for big hits.