Gallant Yorkshire posted a record which they did not deserve in their Championship thriller with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

It ended in defeat by 66 runs when they lost their last wicket with only three balls remaining after the tenth-wicket pair of Jason Gillespie and John Blain had blocked out 115 deliveries between them.

Chasing a mammoth 500 for victory, Yorkshire were all out for 433 to give them the highest losing fourth innings score in the history of Championship cricket. It overtook the previous largest of 425 by Warwickshire against Surrey in 2003.

The final strand of resistance ended when Blain was lbw to Heath Streak in the very last over after keeping out 56 deliveries while Gillespie, who only the previous week had scored an unbeaten double century for Australia in Bangladesh, successfully defied Warwickshire for 63 balls.

Despite their defeat, Yorkshire had every reason to feel proud of their fightback and there was even a time in mid-afternoon when they stood a good chance of actually hitting their target - an achievement which would have given them the second highest winning chase in the Championship.

Anthony McGrath (84) and Michael Lumb (71) both played their part but it was Darren Lehmann who was top-of-the-bill with a breathtaking 150 from 174 balls with 17 fours and four sixes.

He came in at 165-3 when McGrath was unfortunate to be lbw to one which scudded through from James Anyon and he then added 76 with the watchful Lumb who was out when he lost his balance and was stumped down the legside by Tim Ambrose.

Lehmann and brother-in-law, Craig White, kept Yorkshire in with a shout until White lost his off-stump in a good spell from Neil Carter but Lehmann went calmly on to his 21st century for Yorkshire and the 75th of his career, lacing it with 11 fours and two sixes and using up only 128 balls.

At tea, Yorkshire were 340-5 with a further 160 wanted but hopes rapidly receded when Gerard Brophy and Tim Bresnan were taken in the slips and Richard Dawson patted back a return catch to Alex Loudon.

Lehmann, however, refused to accept that the battle was lost and it was an over-adventurous stroke that led to his downfall when he could not resist trying to swipe across the line only to edge to the wicketkeeper.

All seemed done and dusted for Warwickshire when last man Blain joined Gillespie with almost 20 overs remaining and the home fans became increasingly frustrated as the stubborn pair dug in.

In the penultimate over, Gillespie edged to Jonathan Trott but the umpire ruled the ball did not carry and the Bears' celebrations were stifled until captain Streak delivered the killer blow.

Updated: 09:59 Monday, May 01, 2006