Younis Khan, involved in a misunderstanding which probably cost England captain Michael Vaughan a century, then went on to score one himself in Yorkshire's LV County Championship match against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl yesterday.
But, despite the successes of these two top Test cricketers, and a splendid half-century from Adil Rashid, Yorkshire failed to dominate and they were bowled out in good batting conditions for a disappointing 299, so failing by one run to pick up a third batting bonus point.
Speculation over who Yorkshire would leave out to accommodate Vaughan ended when skipper Darren Gough omitted Craig White, despite his century in the first match of the season at the Oval.
Joe Sayers had made his place safe by scoring 149 not out in the previous game against Durham at Headingley and he looked in solid form again as he helped Vaughan put on 57 for the first wicket in conditions more akin to high summer than early spring.
Vaughan, too, appeared full of confidence, although he had one or two anxious early moments. He had made only two when a ball from James Bruce bobbled off his body and almost landed on his stumps, and he should have been run out soon afterwards when he played Australian paceman Stuart Clark out to point. He set off for a single but slipped onto his backside half way down the pitch. Chris Benham threw the ball to wicketkeeper Nic Pothas with Vaughan still well out of his ground but he missed it and the batsmen scampered a single.
Vaughan forged ahead of Sayers with some fine shots, before the latter, on 17, flicked Sean Irvine into the hands of former team-mate Michael Lumb at short mid-wicket.
A well-timed cover boundary off James Tomlinson moved Vaughan to 50 off 87 balls with seven fours, but Shane Warne introduced himself in the over before lunch and with his third delivery had Anthony McGrath caught off bat and pad at short leg by Michael Brown.
Vaughan and Younis both made batting look easy after the interval, Vaughan taking consecutive boundaries off Warne to move smoothly to 72.
But then Vaughan drove Warne firmly to Clark at mid-on and set off for what was always going to be a quick single. Younis, probably watching the ball, never moved and Vaughan was well down the track when he had to change direction and was still some distance from safety as the ball thudded into Pothas's gloves. He had faced 123 balls and stroked 11 fours.
Jacques Rudolph was caught down the legside by Pothas off Clark, and Gerard Brophy was unable to remove his bat in time against Bruce to leave Yorkshire struggling on 183-5.
Again, however, Rashid was the man for a crisis and he and Younis eased the situation with some classy strokeplay during which Younis strolled to a maiden century for Yorkshire off 136 balls with 14 fours.
The new ball was taken at 276-5 and Yorkshire's recovery appeared complete as Rashid reached 50 off 84 balls with five fours, but then came a dramatic collapse which saw the last five wickets topple in 53 balls for 17 runs.
It began with Younis departing lbw to Bruce for 106 and he was followed in the next over by Rashid, who hooked Tomlinson to Bruce at long leg.
The tail refused to wag and Yorkshire could not shift Hampshire's opening pair of Brown and Jimmy Adams, who added 25 in the day's final eight overs.
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