CRAIG White and Matthew Wood hammered out the second highest opening stand in Roses history at Old Trafford yesterday - and all after Yorkshire had been put in to bat by Lancashire.

In a dazzling exhibition of stroke play they thrashed 309 together in 65 overs of mayhem, the only bigger first wicket partnership for either side being the 323 by Yorkshire's Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, in 1931.

White was the more dashing of the two, blasting his way to an unbeaten 179, but Wood also played some breathtaking strokes in his sparkling 115 as they tore Lancashire's attack to shreds.

Their dynamic approach helped make up for time lost to the weather, the game not starting until after an early lunch on what was the second day, and at the close Yorkshire had charged on to 358 for two from just 76 overs.

White's bonanza could not have come at a more appropriate time with his England place in the balance. The selectors are now almost certain to keep faith in the fourth Test on his home ground at Headingley next week.

While White's chances of retaining his England spot have soared, Michael Vaughan's slender hopes of a Test comeback at Headingley practically disappeared when Yorkshire decided not to select him.

Vaughan practised with his team-mates at Old Trafford on Monday and reported himself match fit again following his knee operation but Yorkshire thought it wiser to give him an outing with the second team and sent him off to Harrogate.

But the weather was so bad at St George's Road yesterday that not a ball was bowled on the first day of the game against Kent.

Yorkshire left out opener Chris Taylor, but it was obvious from the moment that White struck his first boundary in the opening over from Glen Chapple that he was in prime form after 17 previous innings for Yorkshire and England this season had brought him a top score of only 39.

White's 50 came up off 53 balls and his century off just 94 deliveries with 17 fours and a six, one of the quickest of the season.

It was White's ninth century for Yorkshire but his first in three seasons.

A glorious cover drive by Wood brought him his century off 185 balls with 11 fours and when the stand went beyond 282 it exceeded the previous best since the war, set by Martyn Moxon and Ashley Metcalfe on the same ground in 1986.

The partnership was finally broken when Wood fell lbw to Mike Smethurst and by now it had become the fourth highest opening stand against Lancashire by any side.

Anthony McGrath was lbw to Smethurst but White remained untroubled to the close when he was just two runs away from his career best 181. He had batted for 286 minutes during which time he faced 201 balls and struck 23 fours and three sixes.

Updated: 12:01 Thursday, August 09, 2001