THE champions’ bid for a seventh-successive win was thwarted by centuries for retiring Mike Yardy and wicketkeeper Ben Brown.

Sussex, battling hard against relegation, replied strongly to Yorkshire’s 494 all out with 493-7 from 123 overs on a turgid pitch.

They moved from 175-4 overnight by scoring 318 runs in 67 overs, including 210 in 33 after tea, with left-handed Yardy’s 124 off 233 balls marking his fifth career hundred against Yorkshire.

Play did not start until 2pm, meaning a loss of 29 overs, and Yardy advanced from seven to 100 off 200 balls, identical to the number of balls with which Gary Ballance reached his century from on Saturday.

Ballance posted an excellent 165 as he and Tim Bresnan, who made 78, shared a Yorkshire record seventh-wicket partnership of 197 in matches between these two counties.

Yorkshire failed to get the maximum three bowling points in an innings yesterday for only the second time this season, with the other occasion being against Warwickshire at Headingley in late April in the second match of the season.

And it was only the third time a team has managed to score five batting points against them in 2015, with the others being Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and Somerset at Taunton.

Yardy, trapped lbw by Ryan Sidebottom late on, completed a fifth-wicket partnership of 97 with night-watchman Ollie Robinson, the former White Rose all-rounder who made 48.

He then added 54 inside nine overs for the sixth with Luke Wright and 135 in 22 overs with Brown after tea.

The wicketkeeper, dropped by Steve Patterson at square-leg on 65, posted an inventive 106 not out off 91 balls.

Although Yorkshire will not be particularly happy with their evening bowling performance, they will be satisfied with the outcome of this match given it takes them closer to back-to-back titles.

And Sussex, whose intention was to nullify the leaders by producing a docile pitch, will be delighted.