Rain, which at the time looked as if it had come to Yorkshire's rescue, cost them the chance of pulling off a famous victory against Surrey on the final day of the CricInfo Championship match at Headingley on Saturday.

But the eight points which Yorkshire got out of the draw maintained their comfortable lead at the top of the Division One table and, with a game in hand of all their closest rivals, they have taken another important step towards the title.

Chasing a record winning score of 356, Yorkshire were struggling on 63 for two when a heavy burst of rain lopped 22 overs off the day's ration.

It gave them less time in which to survive, but Matthew Wood and Darren Lehmann batted so well on the resumption that their unbroken third wicket stand of 190 left Yorkshire on 244 for two at the close - 112 runs away from their target.

The extra half hour was not claimed but if Yorkshire had also had another 22 overs at their disposal then they would have been perfectly poised for a successful assault.

Both Wood and Lehmann were superb in their contrasting styles and in the end Yorkshire thoroughly deserved their morale-boosting draw despite being second best for much of the game.

From the moment he opened the innings, Wood refused to be distracted from the job in hand and, although a natural stroke-maker, he settled down to play an innings in the best Boycott traditions, his unbeaten 85 coming off 277 balls with nine fours.

Occasionally, he was in difficulties against the spin of Saqlain Mushtaq and Ian Salisbury, who appeared to have him dropped low at cover by Martin Bicknell on 44, but he never allowed these things to let his concentration waver.

Lehmann is in such magnificent form that it is impossible to contain him even if he is not looking to score runs quickly and his chanceless 106 not out was made off 187 deliveries with 13 fours.

The Australian reached his fourth century of the season with an audacious periscope-type shot off Gary Butcher over the head of the wicketkeeper, a stroke he has obviously copied from fellow countryman Adam Gilchrist who has already used it to bring up three figures against England this summer.

Lehmann appears invincible at the moment and in the last two games against Lancashire and Surrey he has racked up a total of 458 runs at an average of 152.66.

Yorkshire skipper David Byas was a happy man at the end of the match.

"We showed that we could come back after a disappointing start and they will see the result as a setback to them while we were pretty satisfied with a draw," he said.

CricInfo Championship

Division One

Yorkshire v Surrey

(at Headingley)

Surrey first innings: 278 (Salisbury 54; Kirby 4-90).

Yorkshire first innings: 204 (Lehmann 52; Giddings 4-50).

Surrey second innings 281 (B Hollioake 68; Dawson 6-98)

Yorkshire second innings

Taylor lbw b Giddins 15

Wood not out 85

McGrath lbw b Bicknell 14

Lehmann not out 106

Extras b6 lb5 nb13 24

Total 2 wkts (91.4 overs) 244

Fall: 1-27 2-54

Did Not Bat: D Byas, G M Fellows, R J Blakey, G M Hamilton, R K J Dawson, R J Sidebottom, S P Kirby.

Bowling: Bicknell 18-5-36-1 Giddins 24-5-66-1 Saqlain Mushtaq 26-4-46-0 B C Hollioake 9-1-37-0 Salisbury 8-1-21-0 Brown 2-0-8-0 Butcher 4.4-0-19-0

Yorkshire drew with Surrey