Yorkshire’s Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign is up and running, thanks in the main to captain Andrew’s Gale well-timed hundred against Kent at Canterbury today.

The 27-year-old left-hander underpinned his side’s formidable 254-7 with 112 off 114 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes.

Joe Root also added 43, wicket-keeper Gerard Brophy 28 and Jonny Bairstow a quick-fire 26 from the top of the order.

Ryan Sidebottom then took two wickets with successive balls to put the skids under Kent early in their chase.

He had Sam Northeast caught behind and Martin van Jaarsveld caught at third man by David Wainwright to leave the score at 13-2 in the third over.

Bradford leg-spinner Adil Rashid finished with 3-30 from eight overs and Tim Bresnan also struck twice on his return to county action.

Kent were bowled out for 161 inside 32 overs. The only downside was a nasty-looking right-knee injury for Rich Pyrah, sustained while batting.

He will have a scan tomorrow, but early indications are that he could be out for weeks rather than days. Gale said: "We’re back in the race now. There’s no one in the group that frightens us if we keep playing like we did here."

After winning the toss, Gale and Bairstow shared 40 in five overs for the first wicket. Bairstow cracked three fours and a six before holing out to mid-off. Gale hit sixes over mid-wicket and straight long-on before being run out in the 38th over.

This was his second one-day century after last year’s 125 not out at Essex, and he continued: "This was a better knock. Last time I got the hundred, we knocked the runs off none down.

"Here, I had to hold the innings together and play a role I’m not as used to in one-day cricket."

After Sidebottom’s early strikes, Yorkshire were in the driving seat.

Ajmal Shahzad, Wainwright and Root also took a wicket each, added to Bresnan and Sidebottom’s two.

But Rashid returned the stand-out figures, even though he will bowl better for less reward.

He bowled Darren Stevens and had Matt Coles stumped by Brophy, but not before he had Alex Blake caught behind with an outrageous long-hop.

Yorkshire, who drew with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Saturday, face Hampshire at Headingley in the LV= County Championship, starting on Wednesday.