By JMB
September 20 2006

Yorkshire won the toss and batted in the crucial relegation decider against Durham at Headingley. Racking up a mammoth 473-3 Yorkshire have almost guaranteed safety from relegation. Darren Lehmann top scored with an unbeaten 261. He was ably supported by Michael Lumb 81no and Anthony McGrath 62. Lehmann is waving goodbye to Yorkshire fans in some style. Playing his last game for the county he showed why he has been such a popular import. He is one of those unique players who has so much time to play. He carresses and bludgeons in equal measure and will leave a huge hole in this Yorkshire side next season.

CLOSE YORKS 473-3. Lehmann (261) Lumb (81). Lehmann need another 3 runs for one hundred runs in this session. It is now his highest score for Yorkshire.

YORKS 459-3. Lehmann (250) Lumb (81). Boof ups the scoring rate once again.

YORKS 442-3. Lehmann (236) Lumb (78). Blackwell sacked by Leeds!

YORKS 438-3. Lehmann (236) Lumb (74). Darren Lehmann's highest first class score is 302. Lumb needs another 92 runs for one thousand first class runs this season.

YORKS 429-3. Lehmann (230) Lumb (71).

YORKS 412-3. Lehmann (222) Lumb (62).

YORKS 403-3. Lehmann (216) Lumb (60). A partnership of 229 runs sees Yorkshire take maximum (5) batting points, whereas Durham have only one bowling point. Only 90 overs bowled - Yorkshire at 4.46 runs an over.

LIVE POINTS STANDINGS Durham 144.5 v Yorks 148.0 and Notts 153.0. Yorkshire ahead in the race against Durham!

YORKS 384-3. Lehmann (206) Lumb (51). Michael Lumb reaches fifty off 140 balls. It's not been his quickest or most dynamic performance but as an innings he hasn't played any better or more important knocks in his life.

YORKS 382-3. Lehmann (206) Lumb (49).

YORKS 377-3. Lehmann (202) Lumb (48). Takes the partnership to 203 runs.

YORKS 371-3. Lehmann (201) Lumb (43). THE MAN IS A GENIUS. I for one will miss him. Well played Boof! Double hundred off 235 balls and included 34 fours and 2 sixes.

YORKS 365-3. Lehmann (195) Lumb (43). Lehmann's highest score of the season and Lumb passes 900 runs for the summer. Current partnership 191 runs.

YORKS 363-3. Lehmann (195) Lumb (41). Lehmann now has scored 1557 first class runs this season - is there no way Yorkshire can persuade him to stay another year. Huge shoes to fill. Come on Darren let's see that double ton.

YORKS 356-3. Lehmann (189) Lumb (40). That's the fourth batting point.

YORKS 346-3. Lehmann (184) Lumb (35). 134 of Lehmann's runs in boundaries!

YORKS 337-3. Lehmann (176) Lumb (34).

YORKS 331-3. Lehmann (170) Lumb (34). I hope Lumb realises that he should remember this innings he is playing. He is second fiddle to the maestro but his contribution should not be overlooked. Keep it going boys - just another 19 runs for batting point number four.

YORKS 323-3. Lehmann (165) Lumb (34). I wonder what the Yorkshire tactics are. Yorkshire need 400 for maximum batting points but at the same time will want to restrict the numbers of bowling points available to Durham. Durham need another three wickets for their second of three possible bowling points so are a long way off just now. Will Yorkshire Bat on after reaching 400 if they have lost five wickets? Have your say on the message board.

YORKS 321-3. Lehmann (165) Lumb (34). A good final session for The Tykes will go a long way to seeing them avoid the drop. An important couple of hours now.

Yorkshire are now in a strong position in this match. Nottinghamshire have secured 1 point so far in their match against Sussex with almost sees them safe. Middlesez are yet to pick up a point against Kent and are definitely relegated.

LIVE POINTS STANDINGS Durham 144.5 v Yorks 146.0 and Notts 153.0. Yorkshire ahead in the race against Durham!

TEA. YORKS 316-3. Lehmann (164) Lumb (30) Partnership of 142 runs. Wouldn't it be lovely to see Lehmann go out with a double century.

- POLL RESULTS PUBLISHED ON THIS SITE. VOTE NOW FOR YORKSHIRE'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2006.

- YORKS 309-3. Lehmann (160) Lumb (27) That's another batting bonus point in the bag. The big man has set Headingley ablaze over the last few seasons and he is going out on a well deserved high, ably supported by Michael Lumb.

- YORKS 283-3. Lehmann (141) Lumb (24)

- YORKS 262-3. Lehmann (122) Lumb (22). Just over half an hour to go now until tea.

- YORKS 251-3. Lehmann (111) Lumb (22) - that's the second batting point!!!

- YORKS 243-3. Lehmann (111) Lumb (15). Tactics coming in to play now. If Yorkshire can get to 400 without losing 9 wickets then Durham will be chasing the game. That would give Yorkshire all 5 batting points and deny Durham maximum bowling points. Durham desperately need to get Lehmann out here.

- YORKS 238-3. Lehmann (109) Lumb (12). Stand at the other end Lumby - watch and learn everything you'll ever need to know!

- YORKS 228-3. Lehmann (102) Lumb (9). Lehmann passes his century - all rise one of the greatest batsmen ever to play for the White Rose county.

- YORKS 224-3. Lehmann (98) Lumb (9). Lehmann nearing a century on his last performance for Yorkshire. It would be fitting if he could leave on a high.

- YORKS 205-3. Lehmann (87) Lumb (5). McGrath out for 62 when the score was 174. McGrath and Lehmann added 131 runs for the third wicket.

- LUNCH YORKS 156-2. McGrath (57) Lehmann (52)

- Durham have named Maher, Scott, Park, Benkenstein, BHarmison, Breese, Mustard (WK), Onions, Gibson, Wiseman and Killeen.

- Yorkshire have named the following side - White, Sayers, McGrath, Lehmann, Lumb, Rashid, Bresnan, Guy (WK), Gillespie, Lawson and Kruis. Bresnan and McGrath return to the side after injury and Darren Lehmann makes his final appearance for The Tykes.

- Club President Bob Appleyard presented Darren Lehmann with an engraved silver baseball cap in appreciation of his outstanding service to the Club since he arrived in 1997. Lehmann plays his last match for Yorkshire.

- Yorkshire go into the final match of the season needing to score one more point than opponents Durham to ensure their safety in Division 1 of the County Championship next season.