Yorkshire played some rousing cricket to build up an 87 lead over Kent at North Marine Road yesterday and they then fought tooth and nail in the field to claw their way into position from which they should gain their eighth win of the season today.

Kent, having refused to give an inch themselves, lost two crucial wickets late in the day to left-arm spinner Ian Fisher to close on 148 for six when their overall lead was only 61.

Michael Vaughan, who batted all of the previous day, took his final score on to 153 in the morning and Chris Silverwood bludgeoned an unbeaten 53 as Yorkshire achieved maximum batting bonus points in the last available over and then galloped on to 389.

Another great opening spell by Silverwood, in which Robert Key chopped on, and David Fulton was caught behind, had Kent in difficulties at 25 for two, but Yorkshire were made to suffer for having giving Ed Smith a life off the first ball of the innings and another one when he was 16.

He flicked Silverwood's opening delivery low to Matthew Wood who could not hold on at square leg and a thick edge off Silverwood later flew to third slip where Anthony McGrath flung out a left hand but dropped the sharp chance.

Later in the same over, Silverwood dismissed Fulton and at 65 Alan Wells fell into a trap and turned Ryan Sidebottom into the hands of David Byas at leg slip, but Smith stuck like glue, taking 50 balls to get off 23 and adding only 21 to his score in the afternoon session.

Smith and the left-handed Matthew Walker defied pace and spin alike to add 61 in 36 overs for the fourth wicket and the crowd were almost nodding off when McGrath suddenly produced a fine yorker which pegged back Smith's middle stump as he aimed to leg after spending four-and-a-quarter hours and 224 balls over his 55.

Mark Ealham could have gone first ball when he bisected wicketkeeper and first slip for four but his luck ran out when he drove Fisher low into the covers and McGrath swooped to come up with a fine catch.

It was an important wicket for the left-arm spinner and he grabbed another one in his next over as Walker badly misjudged a ball which he left alone, only to be given out lbw.

Kent had Thompson back in their attack in the morning after his dash home for the birth of his child had turned into a false alarm, and he produced a fine delivery of his own to have Craig White caught behind.

But Silverwood lashed the ball to all parts while Vaughan calmly continued his marathon innings and the pair rattled up 50 in 11 overs before Vaughan lost his off-stick to Thompson after battling away for 454 minutes and 352 balls off which he took 17 fours.

Silverwood had just completed his robust half century off 63 balls with seven boundaries when Sidebottom drove back a return catch to Martin McCague.

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