ANTHONY McGrath plundered his second century of the season yesterday as Yorkshire strengthened their grip over Hampshire at Headingley on the third day of the Championship match.

McGrath, once again looking as solid as a rock, hit 127 off 211 balls with seven fours and a six, and it was largely through his efforts that Yorkshire were able to declare at 301-8 and set their opponents a victory target of 404.

Hampshire made a careful start to their chase and openers Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry were still together at the close, having added 46 in 17 overs.

In ten Championship knocks this season, McGrath has battered 632 runs for an average of 79 and has now overtaken the prolific Darren Lehmann who has scored 588 runs in eight innings.

McGrath's mastery was observed at close quarters by England captain Michael Vaughan with whom he shared a second wicket stand of 128, and it may be that Vaughan will put in a word for his Yorkshire colleague ahead of Wednesday's announcement of England's one-day squad for the forthcoming NatWest Series against Sir Lanka.

It is two years' since McGrath played the last of his 14 one-day internationals before being discarded but a recall to the England ranks must be a possibility if he goes on playing like he is at the moment.

Vaughan was not quite as composed as McGrath but his 56 from 112 balls with four boundaries was another big step on the road to leading England again after his knee injury.

"I felt pretty good on a tricky wicket and I am happy with the way things are going," said Vaughan.

Tim Bresnan snapped up the last Hampshire wicket in the first over of the morning to give himself figures of 4-36, the best by a Yorkshire bowler this season, to give the Tykes a first innings lead of 102.

They immediately lost Matthew Wood, caught behind for a duck off James Bruce, but Vaughan and then Craig White assisted McGrath in building up the score, and once White had gone for 35, losing his leg-stump to Dominic Thornely, Yorkshire sacrificed wickets as they headed for a declaration.

McGrath fell in this passage of play when he tried to clear the square leg boundary with a firm hit off Shane Warne but was caught on the rope by Richard Logan.