Cricket: McGrath menaces Middlesex

ANTHONY McGRATH led a magnificent Yorkshire fightback on the third day of their match at Headingley with a career-best 142 not out against Middlesex. His innings contained three sixes, 14 fours and one moment of controversy.

When McGrath had made 57, Justin Langer claimed a catch at slip off the bowling of spinner Paul Weekes. Umpire Roy Palmer was not impressed, Langer was clearly astounded by the decision and when Phil Tufnell appeared to direct a comment of his own in the direction of the batsman there was some finger-wagging from Palmer which could land Tufnell in trouble at Lords.

Tufnell, who along with seamer Simon Cook had bowled Middlesex into a winning position, then suffered the indignity of being hit for two sixes by McGrath, who also hooked Cook over the rope.

When Yorkshire's eighth wicket of their second innings went down they were only 85 runs ahead but their last two wickets yielded a precious 139.

Adrian Dale's second century of the match and a maiden first-class hundred by the emergency opener Ismail Dawood put Glamorgan firmly in charge against Gloucestershire at Cardiff. Dale made 113 and Dawood struck 102 as the pair shared a record stand of 211 before Glamorgan eventually declared their second innings at 312 for 6, leaving Gloucestershire needing a daunting 464 runs to win.

Openers Jon Lewis and Michael Gough compiled an unbroken stand of 153 as Durham attempted to avoid defeat against Kent having been dismissed for just 93 in their first innings at Stockton.

The Derbyshire captain, Dominic Cork, claimed 5 for 88 but his side were still left facing an uphill battle against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.