THE sun shone at Scarborough yesterday, and once the early juice had vanished Jacques Rudolph harvested a high-class double hundred to help Yorkshire grind Warwickshire into the dust.

It was the South African's first century since making three in his first five games and, spotting the perfect opportunity to fill his boots, he went on to make an unbeaten 208, passing 1,000 championship runs on 166.

With good contributions from Anthony McGrath, Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid - maintaining the sort of batting form which confirms him as an all-rounder of tremendous potential - Yorkshire reached 530 for six to lead by 401 runs.

It was a pity that Rashid edged a drive to slip off the fourth delivery with the new ball shortly after chairman of selectors David Graveney arrived at tea for discussions with Michael Vaughan, presumably about winter tour parties.

Rudolph's cutting was of the highest order, but he played shots all round the wicket in advancing from 38 to 147 during the afternoon session. Even though he throttled back, Yorkshire scored 505 runs in the day.

Leaders Sussex probably couldn't believe it as they were again unable to make a start at the Oval, and with maximum bonus points in the bag Yorkshire have moved back above them, despite not recording a championship win since May 12.

With the weather set fair after the loss of 33 overs in Wednesday's miserable murk, victory should be a formality against deflated opponents.

Warwickshire's talented batting line-up ought not to fail so abjectly again and the Scarborough club will hope they are not so demoralised that they fail to get the game into a fourth day.

Yorkshire would be delighted to emerge in such good shape from a day which involved familiar Scarborough distractions, such as a 5am fire alarm in their hotel and mid-afternoon firecrackers in nearby Peasholm Park.

This used to be known as the re-enactment of the Battle of the River Plate, but political correctness has toned it down. Either way, the most extreme example of a sinking ship was Warwickshire.

The blue sky brought out the festival fans in greater numbers, probably hoping to witness a masterful display from either Vaughan or Inzamam-ul-Haq. But both succumbed to catches at the wicket off James Anyon for single figures as three wickets went down in the first 40 minutes.

There was still some of the first day's movement available, and both batsmen may have been surprised by the bounce as they pushed forward. But Inzamam clearly didn't think he was out.

Vaughan fell to the day's fifth ball, then five balls later Alfonso Thomas swung one into Andrew Gale to have him lbw for 21.

Inzamam was off the mark fifth ball with an exquisite clip through mid-wicket off Alfonso, but then twice provided reminders that when he calls for a run it can sometimes be no more than a basis for negotiation.

He was given the benefit of the doubt by Nigel Cowley after Jim Troughton's direct hit, but not by Mike Harris when Tim Ambrose claimed the catch which sent Inzamam packing for eight.

His departure brought in Rudolph at 50 for three and easing conditions were soon enhanced by the lack of back-up in a depleted attack.

Heath Streak, a fading force, did not come on until the 27th over of the innings and it was the 64th before the game's first over of spin was pitifully purveyed by Alex Loudon. His second ball was such a juicy full toss that Rudolph drove it for a huge straight six and the off-spinner's first three overs cost 27 runs.

Streak's struggles were underlined when McGrath brought up the hundred by cover driving and pulling successive balls for four.

Then when Darren Maddy had to bring on his own medium pace McGrath hit three fours in an over through a cut, a back-foot push through mid-wicket and an on-drive.

McGrath was almost run out going for the single to backward point, which took him to 50 off 82 balls, and the next three balls read: four, four, out. He got outside a ball from Thomas which swung slightly to have him lbw to end a stand of 83 in 20 overs.

The next partnership was 98 in 15 overs, of which Gerrard Brophy made 38, then Rashid shared a stand of 140 and Bresnan contributed 87 to the unbroken partnership of 159.

Rudolph needs 15 today to top his only previous double hundred, which was 222 not out for South Africa against Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2003