Gary Fellows plundered his maiden century at Old Trafford yesterday to transform Yorkshire's flagging fortunes in the Roses match.

The 24-year-old Halifax-born all-rounder came in with Yorkshire crumbling on 85 for five and in real danger of suffering an embarrassing three-day defeat.

Yorkshire at that stage were only 75 runs in front but by the time Fellows was out for 109 they had recovered to 291 for eight and Lancashire knew they had a fight on their hands.

The last wicket went down at 305, leaving Lancashire a 299 target on what remained a good batting pitch and they closed on a nervous 36 for two with the game delicately poised.

Fellows, who only regained his place in the Championship side a couple of matches ago, easily went past his two previous equal-best scores of 63 which were both against Somerset.

Although he never gave a real chance, good fortune was on his side in that some of his strokes just cleared the heads of fielders and a few times he cut at the spinners without making contact.

But Fellows showed great composure throughout his innings and he produced fine attacking shots out of the blue, like when he hooked James Anderson high and hard for six.

With contracts coming up soon, Fellows needed a good knock to set out his credentials and, in any case, his 56th first class innings was long enough for the all-rounder to wait for his maiden century.

Although he had some spells of slow scoring, he did not linger long in the 90s, cover driving and glancing John Wood for consecutive boundaries and sprinting into three figures when an overthrow turned his single off Stuart Law into an extra run.

Fellows' century came off 185 balls with 11 fours and a six and it was after facing exactly 200 deliveries that he got a legside touch to a ball from Gary Keedy and was caught by substitute wicketkeeper Jamie Haynes.

Until Fellows came in, it looked as if Yorkshire were completely out of luck because after nightwatchman Steven Kirby had gone, Vic Craven fell to a stunning catch at full stretch to his right by David Byas at third slip - the sort that his former team-mates so often admired - and Matthew Elliott was run out by Anderson's direct hit as he responded to Anthony McGrath's call for a sharp single.

McGrath, however, was unfazed by his error, and he batted with complete authority during a sparkling 95 stand in 27 overs with Fellows. A second Roses century of the season seemed inevitable until cruel misfortune struck again when he was on 86 from 140 balls with 15 boundaries, Fellows punching back a fierce drive which brushed Glen Chapple's fingers and went hard into the stumps with McGrath out of his crease.

Yorkshire were 180 for six and still underdogs but first Richard Blakey and then Richard Dawson gave Fellows the support he needed, Dawson helping him add 80 for the eighth wicket.