After all the excitement of Darren Lehmann and Anthony McGrath's record-breaking stand of 317 on Saturday, it was back to dour Roses cricket at Headingley yesterday as Yorkshire worked hard to make Lancashire follow-on.

They have so far been foiled in their ambitions by Alec Swann, the former Northamptonshire batsman, who completed a meticulous century on his Roses debut and is still in with a chance of becoming the first batsman since Charlie Hallows in 1929 to carry his bat in a Roses match.

There were no frills and few thrills attached to Swann's unbeaten 121, accumulated over six-and-a-half hours, but it prevented Yorkshire from taking complete control of the match and will probably deny them their first victory of the season.

Lancashire need to make 366 to avoid the follow-on and by close of play they were almost there at 330 for six.

Just as Lehmann's 'life' on 22 had proved costly to Lancashire, so did Swann's escape when he was put down by Vic Craven at third slip on four the previous evening and he was 31 and Stuart Law 32 when Lancashire began the third day on 89 for two.

Darren Gough, who had earlier proved his fitness for the first Test at Lord's by bowling both Mark Chilton and David Byas, ran in energetically again but could not stop Law going to his 50 off 76 balls with five fours.

Ryan Sidebottom's next delivery, however, shot straight through the Australian's defences and rattled his stumps and the left-armer's next ball was glanced too finely by Neil Fairbrother and Richard Blakey took off to his right to hold on to an excellent catch.

Suddenly, Lancashire were in big trouble at 111 for four with Sidebottom having taken wickets with the last two balls of his over and he had a long wait for his hat-trick delivery because rain then caused the loss of 25 overs.

When his chance finally arrived he appealed in vain for lbw against Swann who went calmly on to his half-century while Glen Chapple injected some beef into the batting and was particularly punishing on Craig White, twice sending balls from England's recalled all-rounder racing to the extra cover boundary.

Chapple hurried to his 50 with a steepling six off Richard Dawson and soon afterwards almost decapitated Swann with a thundering crossbat drive off White who gained his revenge by dismissing him for 60 off 99 balls with seven fours and a six. He was unable to withdraw his bat from one which followed him and Blakey held the catch.

Had Michael Lumb at short leg not dropped Swann in Dawson's next over, Lancashire would have been 206 for six and struggling but either side of tea Swann and Warren Hegg applied more pressure on Yorkshire with an obdurate stand of 65 in 25 overs.

Swann overtook his previous best score for Lancashire of 85 and the sixth century of his career arrived off 234 balls with eight fours.

Hegg was out for 25 when he played over a yorker from White and was bowled but Peter Martin gave Swann further solid support, despite being struck a painful blow on the glove by Sidebottom, and at the close their unbroken seventh wicket stand was worth 59,

Lancashire's slow progress was in marked contrast to Yorkshire's gallop to 515 for five declared when Lehmann (187) and McGrath (165) broke no end of batting records with their astonishing stand which was the highest ever made by a Yorkshire pair for any wicket at Headingley.

Lehmann was simply unstoppable during his 224-ball onslaught off which he lashed 28 fours and a six and McGrath batted showed an unflappable temperament while facing 338 deliveries and hitting 19 fours.

l Sanjay Bangar was the star of the show as India set up a victory chance against Hampshire in their tour match at the Rose Bowl. The 29-year-old paceman took four first-innings wickets, scored an unbeaten 52, and bagged another two wickets in the Hampshire second innings to leave the hosts 209 behind with eight wickets left.