Yorkshire too good for Warne

Yorkshire took less than two hours to claim the last six Hampshire wickets and achieve their second victory by an innings in two First Division games of the County Championship at Headingley yesterday.

They have now taken 39 points out of a possible 40 to begin the season in the best possible style.

When play resumed on the third day, Hampshire needed another 214 to avoid an innings defeat and had only six wickets remaining with the score on 84 for 4. They at least fared better than on the first day thanks to a defiant and stylish 78 not out from Will Kendall, but were still bowled out for 198 to lose by an innings and 100 runs.

There was also more misery for Shane Warne, Hampshire's overseas player, who has yet to score a run in four visits to the crease in the Championship. He lasted only two balls this time, edging Gavin Hamilton high towards the gully where Matthew Wood gleefully held a good catch.

Kendall hit 11 fours and faced 158 balls in his stay and had flashy but brief support from Dimitri Mascarenhas, who lashed five boundaries in a rapid 25 before edging an out-swinger from Hamilton to wicketkeeper Richard Blakey.

Peter Hartley, at No 11, also played some good shots to make 22 before he was caught at second slip by David Byas, again off Hamilton - to give him figures of 3 for 43 to go with his maiden century on Saturday.

"It was a great relief to make that break through," Hamilton said. "I have been close in the past but have run out of partners, which is the problem when you are batting as low as No 8. I would like to bat higher up the order but with our batting strength I know that is going to be difficult."

Craig White made the early breakthrough when he bowled nightwatchman Alex Morris (4) in the second over with the total still on 84. Darren Gough warmed up for Thursday's first Test with an eight-over burst which included the wicket of John Stephenson who fended a rising ball to short-leg.

Kendall reached his fifty with one of his few false shots, an edged boundary off Matthew Hoggard. After Warne's wicket Shaun Udal nudged another catch to short-leg off the spinner James Middlebrook. The end came shortly before lunch, leaving Jimmy Cook, the Hampshire coach, and Robin Smith, the captain, with the task of lifting morale after two heavy defeats in a row.

Darren Cousins continued his successful return to the Championship as Northamptonshire crushed Nottinghamshire by an innings and 124 runs with plenty of time to spare in the Second Division match at Northampton. The 28-year-old paceman, released by Essex in 1998 and an occasional National League performer for Surrey last summer, took 4 for 41 to help dismiss the visitors for 128 shortly after lunch on the final day. He has now taken 15 wickets in three matches for Northamptonshire this season.