Apprentice opener Chris Taylor and captain Darren Lehmann both batted in their familiar styles to give Yorkshire a useful lead over Warwickshire at Headingley yesterday.

When bad light ended play for the day, Yorkshire were 304 for nine and 71 runs in front.

Taylor, who plays for Undercliffe, chosen for the first time since compiling an unbeaten 52 in the second innings of the first match of the season against Surrey, showed his determination and bravery with another half-century, while Lehmann marked his last Championship match of the summer with a flamboyant 75 off 125 balls with eight cracking boundaries.

Both Taylor and Anthony McGrath needed a lot of guts at the start of the day to survive a torrid spell from New Zealand paceman Shane Bond on his debut appearance for Warwickshire.

But they came through their tough examination and had put on 83 when McGrath, not for the first time at Headingley this season, got an unplayable delivery, Dougie Brown skimming one in to knock out the middle stump with the ball barely leaving the surface.

Taylor, who had done well to meet several awkward lifting deliveries with a straight bat, looked less assured when addressing balls outside his off-stump, but just before lunch he completed a splendid 50 off 128 balls with five fours.

He did not add to add to his score, however, because after 14 further balls had failed to bring him another run he was caught by Nick Knight who showed lightning reflexes in holding on to a low right handed chance at second slip.

The bowler was Alan Richardson who was soon indebted to Knight again, this time for taking an equally stunning catch diving far to his left to get rid of Michael Lumb.

Lehmann quickly found his touch as he hurried to his tenth 50-plus score of the season while Gary Fellows suddenly launched a massive on-drive for six off Mark Wagh's off-spin.

Anxious to build up a lead as soon as possible, Lehmann began to take risks and was dropped twice in the space of five balls from Richardson, the first time at cover and the second at slip - the latter culprit being Knight of all people - before falling at the other end when he edged a big drive at Brown and was caught behind

In Brown's previous over, Fellows had fallen lbw and it became 231 for seven when Richard Dawson was run out by Jamie Troughton's direct hit.

Just before tea, wicketkeeper Keith Piper left the field for a hospital X-ray on a suspected broken right index finger, captain Michael Powell taking over behind the stumps and Neil Carter coming on as 12th man.

Richard Blakey spent 28 overs accumulating 20 but was then caught by Troughton off a full-blooded cut to bring Bond his first wicket for Warwickshire.

There was a much bolder approach from Chris Silverwood who hooked Brown for six and also lashed six fours in his 38 before mistiming a hook at Richardson for Troughton to pick up another catch.