Century-makers Andrew Gale and Jack Leaning played Yorkshire into a strong position over Nottinghamshire with a record unbroken fourth wicket stand against their opponents of 251 on the second day of the LV= County Championship match at Headingley.

The Champions looked to be on shaky ground when a couple of wickets for England fast bowler, Stuart Broad, helped reduce them to 51 for three off 21 overs but by the close Yorkshire had recovered to 302-3 to hold a first innings lead of 78.

Gale made 144 while Leaning, the county's top run-scorer so far, looked assured in compiling 107.

The start of Yorkshire's reply to their opponents' 224 could not have been more inauspicious, however, because Broad's third ball of the innings thumped into the pads of his England colleague, Adam Lyth, and pinned him lbw.

Gary Ballance, another of Yorkshire's Test players, also failed, turning a ball from Ben Hilfenhaus straight into the hands of Samit Patel at leg gully.

Alex Lees struggled to 15 from 21 overs before Broad returned to send his middle stump spinning out of the ground but, as the pitch eased and the weather brightened, Gale and Leaning began to enjoy themselves with barely a false stroke between them.

Gale moved to his second best score of the season on 38 and his half-century came off 87 deliveries with seven fours. He straight drove Patel to the boundary to raise the century stand before Leaning's 50 arrived off 77 balls with nine fours.

Yorkshire were 163 for three at tea and after the interval they moved into the lead, Gale completing his 17th first class century for Yorkshire - and his fourth against Nottinghamshire - off 153 balls with 14 boundaries.

The double century stand was brought up off 279 balls and at 211 it beat Yorkshire's previous best for the fourth wicket against Nottinghamshire of 210 by Ted Lester and Willie Watson at Trent Bridge in 1952.

Leaning went to his century with a leg-side six off Patel. It was his third century of the season and was made off 155 balls with 14 fours.

Having been reduced to 169 for eight yesterday, Nottinghamshire were grateful for some spirited batting in the first 45 minutes from Hilfenhaus and Luke Wood who advanced their stand to 65 in 14 overs before Jack Brooks bowled Wood and last man, Jake Ball, in the space of four deliveries. Wood hit 38 and Hilfenhaus an unbeaten 28, both batsmen striking five fours and a six.

 

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