Sussex v Yorkshire (County Championship) : Day One

Craig White promoted himself to to the top of the batting order at Arundel yesterday and the Yorkshire captain justified his decision by making an immaculate century on the opening day of the Championship match against Sussex.

White looked like becoming the first Yorkshire player to carry his bat since Matthew Wood achieved the feat two years ago until he was last out for 104 off 211 balls with 13 fours and a six.

Without White's contribution, Yorkshire would have been in a mess after they had been put in to bat because they were bowled out for 238, Sussex then closing the day on 52 for two.

White moved up from the No 6 spot in order to bring some stability to the early batting and so dismal have been Yorkshire's starts that it became the best opening stand of the season when he and Michael Vaughan went beyond 34 together.

But at 37, left-armer, Jason Lewry, struck twice in consecutive deliveries, bowling Vaughan middle and off with an in-swinger and trapping Anthony McGrath lbw.

Michael Lumb got in a tangle and was lbw to James Kirtley and Yorkshire were in deep trouble on 67 for four when Pakistani, Yasir Arafat, on his Championship debut for Sussex, had Darren Lehmann edging a lifter to wicketkeeper, Matt Prior.

White, meanwhile, looked perfectly at ease against accurate bowling on a helpful pitch, and had made 38 by lunch but after the interval he soon lost Andrew Gale, who flashed at Kirtley and was caught behind, followed by Gerard Brophy, who could not withdraw his bat in time against Lewry.

At 101 for six, Yorkshire were in complete disarray but Richard Dawson joined White and began to produce easily his best form of the season during a sparkling seventh wicket stand of 99 in 21 overs.

White uppercut Arafat for six soon after completing his half-century off 125 balls with eight fours and Dawson off-drove Mushtaq Ahmed high over the rope as he outscored his captain but after hurrying to 56 from 71 balls with six fours and a six he was bowled round his legs sweeping at Ahmed.

Jason Gillespie hung around for a while and was then caught low at slip by Chris Adams off Ahmed's leg-break but there was generous applause for White when a perfect cover drive at Lewry brought him his 16th century for Yorkshire and his first against Sussex.

Lewry picked up his fourth wicket by bowling Matthew Hoggard to leave Yorkshire on 238 for nine and without addition White pushed forward at Ahmed's googly and was given lbw after a long deliberation by umpire Allan Jones. It was Ahmed's 50th Championship wicket of the season.

There was an early success for Yorkshire when Richard Montgomerie edged Gillespie and was scooped up at first slip by Lumb and it became 33 for two as Mike Yardy offered no stroke at Deon Kruis and was lbw.

Scorecard

Sussex v Yorkshire at Arundel

Yorkshire First Innings
C White lbw b Mushtaq Ahmed 104
M P Vaughan b Lewry 14
A McGrath lbw b Lewry 0
M J Lumb lbw b Kirtley 2
D S Lehmann c Prior b Yasir Arafat 12
A W Gale c Prior b Kirtley 10
G L Brophy c Prior b Lewry 4
R K Dawson b Mushtaq Ahmed 56
J N Gillespie c Adams b Mushtaq Ahmed 12
M J Hoggard b Lewry 4
G J Kruis not out 0
Extras (b2 lb8 nb10 pens 0) 20
Total (78.1 overs) 238
Fall:1-37 2-37 3-48 4-67 5-92 6-101 7-200
8-229 9-238
Bowling:Lewry 19-6-54-4.Kirtley 20-7-53-2.
Yasir Arafat 9-2-40-1.Martin-Jenkins 11-5-19-0.
Mushtaq Ahmed 18.1-3-58-3.Yardy 1-0-4-0.

Sussex First Innings Close
R R Montgomerie c Lumb b Gillespie 9
C D Hopkinson not out 10
M H Yardy lbw b Kruis 12
M W Goodwin not out 16
Extras (b1 lb1 nb3 pens 0) 5
Total 2 wkts (23 overs) 52
Fall:1-13 2-33
To Bat:C J Adams,M J Prior,R S C Martin-
Jenkins,Yasir Arafat,
Mushtaq Ahmed,R J Kirtley,J D Lewry.
Bonus Pts:Sussex 3 Yorkshire 1
Bowling:Hoggard 6-3-18-0.Gillespie 8-3-14-1.
Kruis 7-2-16-1.McGrath 2-1-2-0.