ANTHONY McGrath is in the form of his life at the moment and his dazzling unbeaten 173 out of a final total of 317 earned Yorkshire a slender nine-runs lead over Worcestershire on the second day of the Championship match at Headingley on Thursday.

Yorkshire then worked their way into a commanding position by having Worcestershire on 126-4 when bad light lopped off the day's final 27 overs.

McGrath finished only one short of his career-best score, made against Derbyshire last summer, and could have gone on to register a double century but for a serious injury to Richard Dawson which has put him out for the remainder of the season.

Wickets were going down regularly until Dawson joined McGrath at 190-7 and the pair matched each other shot for shot as they revived Yorkshire with an energetic eighth wicket partnership.

They dashed up 55 together in the first eight overs after lunch and had taken their stand to 87 when Dawson was forced to retire hurt with what proved to be a broken knuckle bone on his right hand.

Just before he retired, Dawson was struck on the back of the hand by a lifter from Shoaib Akhtar which went for a single.

He received several minutes' treatment from physiotherapist Scott McAlliste, but was forced to leave the field for a hospital X-ray in obvious pain. He returned with his hand heavily strapped and will seek medical advice over whether an operation is needed.

Dawson's injury came just as Yorkshire were 277-7 and getting on top. But instead of amassing a big lead, only a further 40 could be added before McGrath ran out of tail-end partners.

McGrath, who started the day on 65 with Yorkshire 96-2, played some sumptuous strokes, going to his century with a six over cover off Nadeem Malik and to his 150 with a hooked six off Shoaib Akhtar. His century came off just 85 balls with 16 fours and a six and his final knock contained 22 fours and three sixes and used up 176 balls.

Kabir Ali bowled particularly well for his 4-79 and he received good support from Nadeem Malik with 3-71.

Yorkshire were indebted to Deon Kruis as Worcestershire lost their first three wickets to him while getting their second innings off to a rapid start. Chris Gayle drilled a catch to Craig White at cover, Stephen Moore was taken at second slip by McGrath and Graeme Hick hooked into the hands of Tim Bresnan at long leg.

Vikram and Steven Davies put on 52 but just before bad light stopped play, Davies was run out by Joe Sayers' direct hit from backward square leg.

Updated: 10:47 Friday, September 09, 2005