Yorkshire squandered the chance of overwhelming Kent after bowling them out for only 129 at Headingley yesterday and in the end were grateful to gain a first innings lead of 20.

The visitors then lost two wickets before wiping out the arrears and closing on 36 for three. The advantage is still with Yorkshire - but less convincingly than may have been the case.

A total of 16 wickets toppled in the day leading to speculation that a pitch inspector may get called in, and although there was nothing dangerous about the strip, the ball regularly shot through low, making it impossible to play shots with any confidence.

In a frenzied start to the second day, Kent lost their last three wickets for the addition of only two runs with Ryan Sidebottom bowling the stubborn Rahul Dravid for 46 to give him career-best figures of five for 27.

Michael Vaughan was still dashing back from Edgbaston where he was unwanted by England while Kent were subsiding and in his absence James Middlebrook was promoted to open the innings with skipper David Byas.

Although Yorkshire sought and gained permission from the ECB for Vaughan to return, the regulations suggested this was not in order, but Kent skipper Matthew Fleming had no hesitation in supporting Vaughan's continuation in the match.

"It would not be in the best interests of English cricket if he did not play and if the law says otherwise then the law is an ass," said Fleming.

Middlebrook was certainly not overawed by his promotion and he helped build a pretty solid foundation which did not start to crumble until he was third out at 84, lbw to Mark Ealham.

Byas had earlier been caught behind driving down the wrong line at David Masters and Richard Blakey's useful innings was abruptly ended when he cut at Fleming and was run out by Masters' direct hit from backward point as he attempted a second run.

Matthew Wood was caught first ball in the slips at the second attempt by Dravid to bring in Vaughan at 84 for four and he did not have to play at Ealham's hat-trick attempt.

With Darren Lehmann starting well, a big Yorkshire score still seemed a strong possibility and when the Australian struck Fleming to the cover boundary for his first four it took him beyond 3,000 Champioship runs for his adopted county in only his 50th innings.

Lehmann is averaging around 60 in the competition but he was out for 28 on this occasion following a casual cut at Masters which finished up in Paul Nixon's gloves and when Vaughan was caught behind off one from Fleming which kept low outside off-stump, Yorkshire were struggling on 99 for six.

They made another 50 but it was left to Chris Silverwood to nudge Yorkshire in front during a 21 stand for the ninth wicket with Sidebottom