Freddie: Constant menace

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LV County Championship - Division One
Headingley Carnegie - day three
Yorkshire 144 (G Chapple 4-35) & 247 (M Muralitharan 5-66) v Lancashire 517 (S G Law 206, P J Horton 149)
Lancashire (22pts) beat Yorkshire (2pts) by an innings and 126 runs

Muttiah Muralitharan took five wickets as Lancashire smashed Yorkshire in three days at Headingley.

Trailing by 373 runs heading into the second innings, the Tykes stood little chance of saving the game.

But skipper Darren Gough will be concerned by the speed of his side's capitulation to their arch-rivals.

Only Jason Gillespie (44), Anthony McGrath (40) and Younus Khan (31) offered any real resistance, as Lancashire's star-studded attack easily ripped through the remainder of the order.

Andrew Flintoff continued his impressive comeback from injury, with two wickets for 31, while paceman Sajid Mahmood took two for 75.

But it was Sri Lankan spinner Muralitharan that stole the show with five for 66, as Lancs strolled to an innings and 126 run victory at Headingley.

The result could hit Yorkshire's Championship ambitions hard if leaders Sussex can stave off defeat against Warwickshire, while Lancashire can dream of the title again.

Lancashire captain Mark Chilton said: "This was a magnificent performance all round and just what we needed after a couple of disappointing results.

"This was a must-win game against the team second in the table and if we had not won it, we would have been struggling but everything now depends on our last five games."

Day Two

Records crashed at Headingley as Lancashire moved into a strong position in glorious sunshine on the second day's play.

Stuart Law's 206 was the highest individual score by a Lancastrian in a Roses match, while the 258-run opening stand with Paul Horton was also a record against Yorkshire.

The hosts were wicketless in the opening session as Law and Horton (149) made hay after the latter spent 17 minutes on 99.

Horton's knock lasted well over six hours, taking 319 balls to compile, before he wafted wearily at Tim Bresnan.

Law smashed 27 boundaries and two sixes in his 250-ball innings before he was run out chasing an ambitious single.

Andrew Flintoff enjoyed a cameo of 24 as Lancashire's final total of 517 was also their highest total on their old rival's turf, as Yorkshire's 144 all out was made to look meagre.

The hosts then lost Craig White, who played on to Flintoff, as they reached 44-1 at stumps.