Michael Vaughan's marathon innings ended when he had made 153 today as Yorkshire charged to 355 for nine to pick up maximum batting bonus points in the championship match against Kent.

Vaughan, who batted all day yesterday for an unbeaten 133 out of 290 for seven, faced the first over of the day from Julian Thompson, who had returned from his dash to Canterbury.

Thompson had gone home in the hope of being present at the birth of his first child, but it had turned out to be a false alarm.

After Vaughan had placed Thompson for a single, Craig White cracked him through the covers for four and the 300 was raised in the 111th over.

White took a four off Thompson through the covers, but the paceman then had him caught behind by Steve Marsh for 20.

Runs contined to come freely, however, Chris Silverwood taking three off his first ball, and when Vaughan hammered Thompson through the covers it brought him his 7,000th first-class run.

Thompson was soaking up punishment and Silverwood hurried to 15 with a couple of rustic legside shots which brought him a two and a four.

Some powerful hitting by Silverwood assisted Vaughan in making a bid for the fourth batting bonus point, which came in the last of the 120 overs in which it was available, Vaughan's boundary off Min Patel also completing his 150 off 352 balls with 17 fours, his epic innings now having spanned 454 minutes.

Vaughan's chanceless century yesterday was his third of the season and the 15th of his career for Yorkshire and he reached it off 263 balls with 13 fours.

Vaughan was still on 153 when his off stump was knocked back by Thompson who had switched ends, and Yorkshire were 355 for nine. He and Richard Harden pulled Yorkshire back from the brink after they had slumped to 119 for six soon after lunch yesterday, Dean Headley doing the damage with a lethal spell of three wickets in 17 balls.

But Vaughan and Harden took few chances in the sizzling heat while compiling 147 in 47 overs - a Yorkshire record at North Marine Road for the seventh wicket.

Harden was out when he mistimed a pull off Martin McCague for 64 off 147 balls with nine boundaries.

Earlier in the day, Yorkshire had been well served by nightwatchman Ian Fisher (38), who helped Vaughan add 87 for the second wicket.

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