Cricket: Hamilton at his best

THE YORKSHIRE all-rounder Gavin Hamilton further advanced his claims to an England place with a career-best innings against Worcestershire at Headingley yesterday.

The Scot ran out of partners on 94, having made his highest score of 84 not out against Northamptonshire in Yorkshire's previous County Championship match. His side ended their first innings with 374 with Alamgir Sheriyar finishing on figures of 4 for 94.

Yorkshire's total gave them a massive lead of 284, and they made an early breakthrough when Phil Weston fell to Hamilton in the seventh over.

The start of the second day had been delayed for more than an hour by rain, and the bad weather returned to bring an early end with 49 overs lost altogether.

By then Elliot Wilson and Vikram Solanki had taken the visitors to 44 for 1, still needing 240 to avoid an innings defeat. Solanki had made an undefeated 32 at the close.