DARREN Lehmann warmed up a bitterly cold and dismal Headingley yesterday by scoring his ninth Championship century for Yorkshire - and his first on the Test ground.

The Australian's dazzling 136, plus a stylish 118 from Michael Vaughan, spared Yorkshire's blushes after they had been forced to follow on by Durham on the second day.

When Yorkshire declared their second innings to end the match on 386 for four, they led Durham by 201 runs and had regained some of their pride.

Although Lehmann was at his fluent best, he scored the majority of his runs handicapped by a bad back after he had wrenched it while dashing a three with Vaughan.

Lehmann, 49 at lunch, was forced to come out with Richard Blakey as his runner after the interval, but the power of his strokeplay remained undiminished.

His batting exhibition brought to a close what has been a poorish run of form by Lehmann and it also ended the Headingley jinx which has seen him come near to three figures on several previous occasions without quite managing it.

Lehmann is confident of recovering from his back problem in time for tomorrow's top-of-the-table clash at The Oval with Surrey who have just replaced Yorkshire as leaders with a five point advantage.

Yorkshire, however, enjoy a match in hand, and skipper David Byas said it would be just the tonic his team are looking for if they could beat the county champions.

Vaughan completed his flawless century shortly after losing Blakey but he went off the boil after that and as soon as Durham took the new ball he lost his middle stump to Neil Killeen after striking ten fours and facing 306 deliveries.

Lehmann so dominated his third wicket stand with Vaughan that he contributed 77 to their partnership of 102 and he remained in charge while Matthew Wood benefited from time in the middle during a stand of 82.

Although Lehmann slowed down in the 90s, he reached his century off 120 balls with 13 fours and he added a further three boundaries from 26 deliveries before falling to a well judged catch on the mid-wicket boundary by Muazam Ali.

For some reason, Yorkshire then sent in Gavin Hamilton, who will be out for two to three weeks with the side injury he received while bowling on the first day, and he stayed with Wood until the close.

Durham made the trip back home without opening batsman Michael Gough who remains in an isolation ward at Leeds General Infirmary where he has been confined since falling ill on the first day.

There is concern that Gough may be suffering from a disease picked up on England's 'A' tour of Bangladesh last winter and he is awaiting the result of tests.

Division One

P W L D Bt Bl Pts

Surrey 9 4 2 3 23 20 103

Yorkshire 8 4 1 3 14 24 98

Lancashire 8 4 0 4 13 19 96

Somerset 8 2 2 4 19 19 78

Leicestershire 8 2 2 4 19 19 78

Durham 8 2 4 2 12 24 68

Derbyshire 9 1 3 5 10 24 58

Hampshire 9 1 5 3 6 27 57

Kent 7 1 2 4 4 18 50

SCOREBOARD

ppp Healthcare County Championship

Yorkshire v Durham at Headingley

Durham 1st inns: 314 (Lewis 66, N Speak 61no, R Sidebottom 5-66)

Yorkshire 1st inns: 129 (S Brown 4-33)

Yorkshire Second Innings

Byas c & b Betts 18

Vaughan b Killeen 118

Blakey c Speight b Betts 15

Lehmann c Ali b Killeen 136

Wood not out 48

Hamilton not out 17

Extras b13 lb13 w4 nb4 34

Total 4 wkts dec (148 overs) 386

Fall: 1-67 2-157 3-259 4-341

Did Not Bat: A McGrath, J D Middlebrook, C E W Silverwood, R J Sidebottom, M J Hoggard.

Bowling: Brown 27-6-80-0 Harmison 23-5-50-0 Killeen 37-14-70-2 Betts 25-3-71-2 Collingwood 25-11-58-0 Katich 8-0-22-0 Ali 3-0-9-0

Yorkshire (7pts) drew with Durham (10pts)

PICTURE: AUSSIE DAZZLER: Yorkshire's Australian import Darren Lehmann hit his first century at Headingley yesterday in the draw with Durham. It was his ninth Championship ton