Yorkshire's high hopes of pulling off a sensational championship win against Middlesex were dashed at Headingley as Australian Justin Langer led a spirited run spree which saw the visitors romp home by five wickets in mid-afternoon.

Langer, who scored 241 not out in Middlesex's first match of the season, ended unbeaten on a blistering 127 from 203 balls with 16 rasping boundaries yesterday.

His fellow left-hander, Paul Weekes, was in the same unstoppable form as his illustrious partner, and he smacked 65 not out in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 143 in 34 overs at better than a run a minute.

It was a bitter disappointment for Yorkshire to lose a gripping match in which they had pulled themselves up by their bootlaces after being underdogs on the first two-and-a-half days.

Anthony McGrath's career-best had left Middlesex chasing 225 for victory and they began the final day on 42 for three, but Langer made his intentions known from the start by cracking Ian Fisher's first two balls to the boundary in an opening over which cost 13 runs.

Fisher was immediately replaced by Ryan Sidebottom, but apart from coming close to being lbw to Silverwood, Langer stayed in charge and for 45 minutes received valuable support from nightwatchman Simon Cook who then lost his leg-stump to Silverwood's yorker.

When Owais Shah hit across the line at Matthew Hoggard and was lbw without scoring, Middlesex were 83 for five and the pendulum had swung very much Yorkshire's way, but it quickly moved in the other direction as Weekes began to play shots which matched Langer's in quality.

A crisp on-drive off Craig White took Langer to his century off 181 balls with 13 fours and the writing was clearly on the wall for Yorkshire who have not beaten Middlesex since 1987 and have now lost two of their first three championship matches.

Skipper David Byas said: "It was a very disappointing day after we had fought our way back into the match so well but I cannot point a finger at anyone and say that they bowled badly or that dropped catches were to blame.

"None of the bowlers travelled for a massive amount of runs and credit is due to Langer who played one of the best last day innings I have ever seen at Headingley."

Langer revealed that he had been extra determined to succeed because of the incident on Sunday when McGrath was given not out on 57 when all the Middlesex side thought he had edged to slip. He said: "But for that we would have been on our way home on Sunday night and I wanted to make sure we won the match. I thought

Yorkshire's seam bowlers did very well, and England should be having another look at Silverwood."

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