COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Headingley
Yorkshire v Worcestershire
28 April-1 May (Play starts 1100 BST)
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Yorkshire 394-3(Yorks 4 pts, Worcs 1pt)

A chanceless unbeaten 194 from Jacques Rudolph and a century for his skipper, Anthony McGrath, helped Yorkshire pile up 394-3 against Worcestershire.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan marked his Test snub by making just five on the second day at Headingley.

But McGrath (120) came in to join Rudolph and the pair put on 237.

It was Yorkshire's best stand for any wicket against Worcestershire, overtaking the 236 by Matthew Wood and Darren Lehmann at New Road in 1998.

But, while the Yorkshire players had fun, there was frustration for the supporters.

They had to sit through a sunny Leeds morning without any play to watch because the outfield on the newly-laid field was too soggy to allow a prompt start after heavy overnight rain.

The grass still needs time to bed down and for the roots to dry out and 20 overs had been lost in the day when the game was finally able to resume (1430 BST).

Yorkshire were 123-1 overnight with Rudolph on 73 and Vaughan still to score.

And, although Vaughan managed a fluent cover boundary off Ashley Noffke, the Australian bowler then beat him with a fine delivery outside off-stump and he feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Steven Davies.

The thin edge brought a loud appeal and Vaughan walked without the umpire having to raise his finger.

McGrath, still one of the best number threes in the country despite being ditched by England, looked in outstanding form from the start.

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Yorkshire gained their first batting bonus point at 202-2 in 70 overs and shortly after McGrath had pulled a second six, this time off Chris Whelan, Rudolph cut Gareth Batty for four to go to his century from 182 balls with six fours and a six.

The second new ball was taken shortly after tea at 252-2 in 85 overs. But it worried neither batsman and, when Batty returned for another stint, Rudolph immediately drove him over long on for six and completed his 150 in the same over.

Progress was so swift, despite the slow outfield, that it became a double century stand in 51 overs and the next landmark was McGrath's century from 166 deliveries with ten fours and a six.

The partnership was eventually broken by medium-pacer, Daryl Mitchell, McGrath driving him gently to Batty at cover after receiving 190 balls and striking 13 fours and two sixes.

Fellow left-hander, Andrew Gale, joined Rudolph, with only 33 wanted in nine overs for a fifth batting bonus point.

But surprisingly there was no urgency shown by either batsman and, at the end of 120 overs, Yorkshire had missed out on that extra point on 391-3.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"Both Matt Mason and Ashley Noffke bowled their hearts out and I couldn't have asked for any more.

"The back up bowlers on this occasion, Chris Whelan and Imran Arif just didn't quite come to the party and that happens.

"They are young bowlers just finding their feet in the game and more often than not you have to experience some bad days to learn and progress your career."

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