A superb century on a difficult wicket from Jacques Rudolph helped Yorkshire to a competitive total in their first innings against Nottinghamshire at Headingley.

Michael Vaughan's resurgence was finally ended by England team-mate Stuart Broad, eight runs shy of what would have been a morale-boosting 50.

But Rudolph spent over five hours at the crease, eventually bringing up his ton by driving Mark Ealham through the covers and sprinting through for three with Matthew Hoggard doing the leg work at the other end.

Rudolph said: "It's always pleasing to get a hundred but I probably needed a barn door to get Sidebottom away with the second new ball!

"On a pitch like this though, when the ball is swinging all over the place, you have to go back to your basics and I had to fight through it in the end."

Rudolph has now made at least 50 in three of Yorkshire's last four games at Headingley and has twice gone on to make a hundred - but the South African thinks he still has more in the tank.

He said: "To be honest, I haven't been totally comfortable yet. I think I've probably got another 20 or 30 per cent to my game that I've still to give."

Yorkshire were bowled out for 299, just one run short of an extra bonus point - but only a major rescue operation in the shape of a century partnership between Rudolph and Gerard Brophy saved them from a far worse fate.

The Yorkshire wicketkeeper also contributed serious runs with a knock of 63.

Vaughan had earlier been on a mission at the crease. Facing Broad for the first time on day two, he banished him for a superb six over deep square but soon after, attempting the same shot, he was caught five yards in from the boundary by Samit Patel.

After Andrew Gale and Adil Rashid came and went cheaply, Yorkshire were in trouble on 111 for five before the heroics of Brophy and Rudolph steadied the ship.

Other than Tim Bresnan's plucky 18, there was little further resistance, with Morne Morkel lasting just three balls on his debut.

Hoggard was last man out when a mistimed air shot left him plum in front.

The visitors had just three overs to negotiate until the close but Hoggard took what could prove a crucial scalp with the light fading, Will Jefferson dismissed lbw for a duck leaving Nottinghamshire nought for one at stumps.

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