Yorkshire soon warmed up in the sunshine after new England captain Michael Vaughan had been dismissed cheaply by a 34-year-old fridge freezer salesman at March yesterday and they became hot enough to set Cambridgeshire a 300 target in the third round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.
There were no further real shocks for the title holders and they made sure of a visit to Worcestershire in the next round by beating their Minor Counties' hosts by 85 runs.
A large crowd ringed the pleasant March ground in anticipation of a big innings from Vaughan but Test cricket's heaviest run-scorer last year had managed only ten when he drove too early at Ajaz Akhtar and the pace bowler gratefully accepted a return catch.
Pinch-hitter Chris Silverwood was run out without scoring at the non-striker's end when a ball deflected off Mark Mason's hand but Michael Lumb and Matthew Wood quickly took control against a fairly innocuous attack with a 132 stand in 30 overs, the county's highest in the competition for the third wicket.
Lumb made sure this particular record stayed in the family for the previous best of 115 was set by his father, Richard, and John Hampshire against Shropshire at Wellington in 1976.
Lumb junior had struck eight fours and a six when he fell lbw to Nigel Gadsby for 82.
Simon Kellett conceded 22 runs in his first over, six of which came from a big hit over mid-wicket by Lumb.
Wood and skipper Anthony McGrath thrashed 101 together in just 11 overs, Wood completing a chanceless century off 122 balls with 11 fours and a six. Yorkshire closed on 299 for five, leaving Wood unbeaten on 118, his best one-day.
Former Worcestershire batsman, Elliott Wilson and Chris Jones, dug in with an opening stand of 34 in 15 overs but once Jones had fallen lbw to Steven Kirby the first half of the batting subsided and Cambridgeshire struggled on 96 for five.
Yorkshire generously eased their foot off the accelerator and offered Gadsby and Akhtar the chance of some easy runs which the pair gratefully accepted in a sixth-wicket stand of 79 in 15 overs.
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