Cricket: Moxon leads by example: Yorkshire captain flowers at the crease in Roses match

Lancashire . . . . . . . . . . . . .354 and 225-4

Yorkshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 and 305-3

Yorkshire win by seven wickets

MARTYN MOXON gave substance to his promise of brighter Yorkshire batting this season by hitting an unbeaten 161 yesterday to lead his side to a seven-wicket victory over Lancashire in the non- Championship Roses match.

Yorkshire's first win at Old Trafford since 1978 was hardly the start Mike Watkinson wanted to his reign as captain of Lancashire, but without Pakistan's Wasim Akram the target of 305 he set never looked difficult for the visitors, who reached it with three of the possible 74 overs to spare.

Yorkshire had the lowest number of batting bonus points of any county last season, but Moxon set a captain's example before their first Championship match, against Middlesex at Lord's, starting on Thursday. He reached 50 off 66 balls, scored his century off 139 deliveries, with 16 boundaries, and passed 150 off 202 balls, with 22 fours.

He put on 141 for the first wicket with Michael Vaughan, rendering the chase virtually a formality.