Run record wasted

Yorkshire were confident of taking a clear lead at the top of the AXA League yesterday after smashing a record 263 for three against Kent at Maidstone.

But their bowling was soon torn apart in a devastating opening knock of 85 from Trevor Ward which sent Kent dashing on their way to victory by five wickets with three balls to spare.

Yorkshire's fielding became careless under the mounting pressure and two vital dropped catches off West Indian Carl Hooper completed their misery.

It was a bitter blow for Yorkshire on an afternoon on which the fates were also cruel to Darren Lehmann, the Australian being run out for 99 while attempting to scamper the single that would have brought him his first Sunday century.

And also all in vain was a Yorkshire record second wicket stand of 172 between Lehmann and skipper David Byas who hammered his way to 86 before being bowled by Matthew Fleming.

Yorkshire's previous highest score against Kent was 245 for five at Canterbury in 1990 and they looked destined to pass it as soon as Lehmann joined his captain when Michael Vaughan was bowled by Alan Igglestone with the total on 24.

Lehmann enjoyed two slices of luck, being dropped at backward point by Dean Headley off Mark Ealham on 14 and behind the wicket by Steve Marsh when he had galloped on to 94.

But in between he played virtually every shot in the book without overshadowing Byas who drove Headley powerfully for six as the stand dashed past the previous best for the second wicket of an unbroken 164 between Geoff Boycott and Bill Athey at Worcester in 1981.

Lehmann exceeded 70 for the sixth time in the competition and this was the first time he had got as far as 80, but he committed suicide in going for the single that would have given him a century in each of the four major competitions for Yorkshire.

He set off as soon as he drove Fleming firmly to Graham Cowdrey at wide mid-off but never had the slightest chance of reaching his crease before the fielder shied down the stumps, Lehmann having received 94 balls for his 99 which contained nine boundaries.

Byas was also denied a century when he was yorked off-stump by Fleming after cracking nine fours and a six off 97 deliveries and the smart tempo was maintained by Bradley Parker who laced his unbeaten 38 from 21 balls with three fours and a six.

Kent were above the required rate from the start as Robert Key was happy to stay low key while Ward smashed the bowling to all parts with a hooked six off Richard Stemp brushing through Paul Hutchison's outstretched hand at long leg.

Yorkshire were powerless to stop the carnage and the opening stand raced on to 125 in 18 overs before a stunning diving catch on the mid-wicket boundary by Matthew Wood ended Ward's onslaught which had come off 70 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Key calmly completed his half-century and was then run out by Vaughan's pinpoint throw from backward point, but Yorkshire's attempt to regain the initiative was destroyed by two dropped catches off the big-hitting Hooper.

First he drove Ryan Sidebottom hard and straight to Hutchison at long-off who seemed to take the ball cleanly but then drop it as he went to throw it into the air.

That was when Hooper was 24 and 30 runs later he skied Hamilton to Parker who could not stop the ball bouncing out of his hands.

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