A splendid opening partnership of 152 between Scott Richardson and Matthew Wood helped put CricInfo Championship leaders Yorkshire into a strong position against second-placed Kent at Headingley.

Yorkshire closed on 287 for six with a lead of 75 and they would have been even better off but for an excellent 12-over spell from Kent captain Matthew Fleming in which he picked up four wickets for 32 runs.

After getting off to a cautious start in which they were each dropped behind the wicket, Richardson and Wood gained rapidly in confidence and Wood twice pulled Martin Saggers for big sixes.

Wood looked to be heading for his first century since the opening match of last season but when he had made 90 off 188 balls with eight fours and two sixes he edged left-arm spinner Min Patel to James Hockley at slip.

Richardson, who had earlier completed his maiden half-century, moved smoothly to 69 before wretched luck brought about his dismissal. His second wicket partner, Craig White, blasted back a fierce drive to Patel who could not make the catch stick but saw the ball deflect into the stumps with Richardson stranded out of his crease.

White had added 53 with Lehmann when he was caught behind for 26 to become the first of Fleming's victims and the Kent leader quickly followed up by trapping his opposite number David Byas lbw with one which kept low.

Gary Fellows and James Middlebrook also departed to Fleming but there was no stopping Lehmann who hit Patel for an enormous six over mid-wicket and the Australian was unbeaten at stumps with 66 from 108 balls with four fours and a six.

Before play began, Yorkshire registered 23-year-old paceman Steven Kirby and immediately drafted him into the side in place of Matthew Hoggard who had withdrawn in order to join the England squad at Edgbaston.

Kirby has impressed with trials for Yorkshire this season after spending the last few years playing for Leicestershire Seconds but he was not retained at Grace Road because of a back problem which has since cleared up.

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