Yorkshire's season suddenly burst into life at Headingley yesterday when they beat Lancashire by six wickets with eight balls remaining in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.

The victory not only ended their red rose rivals' 100 per cent winning record in the competition but it gave their own chances of finishing top of the North Conference an enormous lift.

Yorkshire's chances of a Roses triumph looked slim as the Lancashire openers Mal Loye and Mark Chilton took a heavy toll of the pace bowling in a century stand in only 16 overs.

Even when spinners Richard Dawson and Darren Lehmann applied the brake, Lancashire's final total of 287-9 seemed a formidable one.

But the Tykes' batsmen rose to the challenge, Lehmann once again leading the way with a beautifully-paced 92 not out from 69 balls, with nine fours and two sixes.

In three C&G innings this season, the Australian has scored an astonishing 265 runs for once out.

It was entirely appropriate that he should finish yesterday's game by smacking Tom Smith high over mid-wicket for six.

Every Yorkshire batsman who got to the crease made a significant contribution to the cause.

The innings was launched in style by Craig White and Matthew Wood, who put on 64 in 14 overs before Wood seemed unlucky to be given out lbw offering no stroke to Glen Chapple, the ball striking him high on the pad.

White at that stage was 35, with most of his runs coming from sparkling cover drives, but he then played second fiddle to Michael Lumb, who worked the ball around skilfully while compiling 46 from 43 deliveries with just four boundaries.

The pair had put on 65 in 13 overs when Lumb drove back a return catch to leg-spinner, Simon Marshall.

It became 156-3 as White edged a slower ball from Dominic Cork to wicketkeeper Luke Sutton and was out for 59 from 87 balls, with seven fours.

Any danger that the tempo would not be maintained was ended by Anthony McGrath and Lehmann, who came together with 132 runs still required from 17 overs. Both batsmen calmly set about chipping away at the target.

McGrath hurried to his half-century off 45 deliveries, with six fours, but soon afterwards he whipped a ball from Chapple to Chilton at mid-wicket, leaving Lehmann to finish off Lancashire.

The 4,220 crowd had earler seen Lancashire in early command after winning the toss.

Although Jason Gillespie kept things fairly tight, Mitch Claydon gave away too many runs with the new ball.

When he was replaced by Deon Kruis, the South African was blasted for 25 in two overs before being withdrawn from the attack and not brought back.

The initial breakthrough came when Yorkshire turned to spin and Dawson immediately had Chilton smartly stumped for 44.

It was Lehmann who went on to snuff out the biggest threat by having Loye caught mis-sweeping for 95.

Updated: 08:37 Monday, May 29, 2006