Yorkshire take control thanks to Vaughan and Lehmann

Half-centuries from England's Michael Vaughan and Australia's Darren Lehmann provided fitting entertainment at the start of an Ashes summer as Yorkshire continued to dominate in their game with Kent.

At the mid-way point of this Canterbury clash, the Tykes had moved smoothly on to 208 for four and an overall lead of 66 having dismissed the hosts for a paltry 142 on day one.

Kent's leading wicket-taker of last season, Martin Saggers, took the first three wickets to fall while home skipper Matthew Fleming had Lehmann caught down the leg-side six overs from the close, but otherwise it was Yorkshire's day.

Resuming on their overnight score of 12, they lost opener Simon Widdup in the 10th over of the day when he drove loosely at a leg-cutter to edge hip-high to James Hockley at second slip.

The lunch break and a short shower served to break Anthony McGrath's concentration as he went leg before to the fifth ball after the resumption, but Vaughan cracked on to reach 71 in a shade over three hours.

He hit Min Patel and Saggers for sixes, but Saggers gained revenge by bowling the England batsman via an inside edge.

Lehmann also looked destined for three figures, but after scoring 68 from 99 balls, he wafted at a wide one to gift Kent their fourth wicket of a rain interrupted day.

Yorkshire will be without pace bowler Matthew Hoggard when Kent do bat for a second time, the centrally contracted player will undergo tests next week on a back strain.