Carberry puts Hants on top

Michael Carberry is unbeaten on 113 © Getty Images

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Michael Carberry continued his recent run of good form by hammering his third century in his last five LV County Championship Division One innings as Hampshire tightened their grip over Yorkshire at Headingley Carnegie.

Yorkshire, bowled out for 195 in the morning, were soon made to suffer at the hands of Carberry - whose unbeaten 113 guided Hampshire to 244 for four by the time bad light brought the day’s play to a premature close.

Carberry appeared fortunate to survive a confident lbw shout against Darren Gough after making just six but his only real chance came on 55 when paceman Deon Kruis saw him put down at first slip by Jacques Rudolph.

Apart from that escape, the left-handed opener was rarely troubled as he made unruffled progress towards his fifth century of the season after completing his third consecutive score of 50 or more at Headingley.

Matthew Hoggard gave Yorkshire early hope by knocking back Michael Brown’s off-stump in the seventh over and the England fast bowler struck again at 42 by trapping Jimmy Adams lbw.

But Yorkshire’s bowling became less effective as Carberry combined with John Crawley in a 137-run stand in 28 overs for the third wicket.

Carberry drove Hoggard for two classic boundaries through the off side on his way to 46 which was to give him his 1,000 first class runs for the 2007 season.

Crawley also played some pleasant strokes to complete his 50 but seven runs later he was caught behind off the deserving Tim Bresnan after facing 89 balls and hitting seven boundaries.

Hampshire were 179 for three and they lost another wicket in the same over as Michael Lumb tried to get off the mark against his former county with a single to deep mid-off - but was beaten to the crease by Andrew Gale’s direct hit on the stumps.

Carberry was then joined by Nic Pothas and in the first over after tea the opener flogged Hoggard for three consecutive boundaries to dash to his century off 149 deliveries with 16 hard struck fours and a six.

Pothas, too, stepped on the accelerator by taking successive boundaries off Gough in worsening light which brought the players off with almost 23 overs remaining, the unbroken fifth wicket stand being worth 65 in 13 overs.

Yorkshire began the day on 161 for seven and most of their remaining runs came from Darren Gough who was last out for a spirited 25 from 34 balls with four boundaries.

Two of the wickets to fall were claimed by paceman James Bruce who finished with five for 58, his second best return of the season.