FORMER Yorkshire left-armer Gary Keedy spun his exiled county to the brink of defeat in the Roses match at Old Trafford yesterday with a skilful display of bowling on a helpful pitch.

Yorkshire were clinging on by the skin of their teeth at the close of the second day when they were 130 for seven in their second innings and leading by only 25.

If Lancashire complete the formalities today, it will be the first time since 1892-93 that they have won three consecutive Roses matches in the Championship but Yorkshire will take a small crumb of comfort from remaining top of the table, just two points ahead of their opponents.

Yorkshire made a determined start in their bid to wipe out the first innings arrears of 105 but in a six over spell before tea, Keedy made the breakthrough by dismissing debutant opener Simon Widdup for the second time in the match.

It was in the evening session, however, that Keedy really went on the rampage with three for 24 in 15 overs, ably supported by off-spinner Gary Yates who got the crucial wickets of Darren Lehmann and Richard Blakey.

When Keedy had Ian Fisher caught at slip by Saurav Ganguly off the wicketkeeper's hip, Yorkshire were 101 for seven and in danger of a humiliating two day defeat, but James Middlebrook and Chris Silverwood survived the remainder of the day with some positive batting.

Only Blakey played the spinners with any confidence and the slump had already started when he was involved in a double tragedy, first of all calling for an impossible single to run out Anthony McGrath before he had scored and then getting an inside edge off the first ball of the following over from Yates to depart for 32 from 105 deliveries.

Lancashire began the second day on 149 for five and were much better served by the second half of the order than Yorkshire had been.

Warren Hegg received solid support all the way down until he was last out, caught at mid-off for a sturdy 58 off 132 balls with five fours and a hooked six off Silverwood who finished with four for 67 while spinners Middlebrook and Fisher shared five wickets.

David Byas was in all sorts of trouble against Glen Chapple and Mike Smethurst but he soldiered on until Keedy pushed through his arm ball low to have him lbw for 30 before Yates dealt Yorkshire a massive blow by getting Lehmann caught behind.

SCOREBOARD

PPP healthcare County Championship

Lancashire v Yorkshire

at Old Trafford

(Day 2 of 4)

Yorkshire First Innings:164 (RJ Blakey 56; G Chapple 4-27)

Lancashire First Innings

Chilton c Blakey b Hutchison 35

Crawley b Silverwood 0

Fairbrother lbw b Middlebrook 18

Ganguly c Fisher b Middlebrook 44

Lloyd b Fisher 35

Keedy c Blakey b Silverwood 2

Hegg c Hutchison b Silverwood 58

Schofield c Byas b Fisher 23

Chapple c Sidebottom b Middlebrook 24

Yates c Blakey b Silverwood 3

Smethurst not out 4

Extras b1 lb8 nb14 23

Total (85.4 overs) 269

Fall: 1-1 2-51 3-78 4-147 5-147 6-166 7-201 8-248 9-258

Bowling: Silverwood 23.4-9-67-4 Hutchison 6-0-34-1 Sidebottom 13-3-30-0 Middlebrook 23-8-63-3 Fisher 17-4-56-2 Lehmann 3-0-10-0

Yorkshire Second Innings

Byas lbw b Keedy 30

Widdup b Keedy 9

Blakey c Hegg b Yates 32

Lehmann c Hegg b Yates 2

Wood lbw b Keedy 0

McGrath run out 0

Middlebrook not out 22

Fisher c Ganguly b Keedy 5

Silverwood not out 18

Extras lb4 nb8 12

Total 7 wkts (61 overs) 130

Fall: 1-32 2-65 3-72 4-83 5-84 6-84 7-101

Bowling: Chapple 10-4-24-0 Smethurst 8-3-21-0 Keedy 22-7-39-4 Schofield 5-1-11-0 Yates 16-3-31-2