A career-best 207 from Matthew Wood and a maiden century from Andy Gray helped to give Yorkshire a first innings lead of 237 at Taunton yesterday before Steve Kirby tore into Somerset for the second time in the match.

Kirby, who grabbed five wickets in the first innings, collected another four but he was denied the opportunity for further successes because rain and bad light came to Somerset's aid with 11 overs remaining when they stood on 213 for six, still 24 runs in arrears.

Yorkshire would almost certainly have gone on to claim the extra half hour if the weather had been fine and had they still needed it, the forecast for today being poor enough for them to want to get the match over and done with a soon as possible.

It is a long time since Yorkshire batted with such confidence as they did in piling up 512.

And they were given just the right start on Saturday when Wood and Stephen Fleming put on 165 for the first wicket, the New Zealand captain making 98 on his county debut before being caught on the boundary edge attempting to reach his century with a six.

Wood, who batted throughout the day and gave only one chance when he was put down at slip on 148, resumed yesterday with Yorkshire on 409 for six and eager to increase their lead of 134.

But before Wood could add to his score he edged a drive at Simon Francis and was caught low down at first slip by Peter Bowler, his sparkling innings spanning exactly 300 balls.

Wood overtook the previous highest score by a Yorkshire batsman in Somerset - 201 by Wilfred Rhodes on the same ground back in 1905 - but fell just short of the best against the county of 213 by Herbert Sutcliffe at Dewsbury in 1924.

Gray, preferred for this game to fellow off-spinner Richard Dawson, had helped Wood put on 116 for the seventh wicket and he dominated the crease once his captain was out with some gloriously timed strokes.

With spirited support from Chris Silverwood, Gray helped himself to four boundaries in five balls from Aaron Laraman and soon raced past his previous best of 74 not out against Leicestershire at Scarborough last year.

The pair had dashed up 70 runs in just 12 overs when Silverwood's leg stump was uprooted by Steffan Jones but Ryan Sidebottom lasted long enough for Gray to complete a faultless century off 144 balls.

Somerset openers Peter Bowler and Matthew Wood survived six overs until lunch but the first ball of the afternoon saw Wood cut Silverwood straight to Craig White at backward point.