Yorkshire 395 Lancashire 481-5 dec: Horton regrets failing to follow in Yousuf's footsteps

Jon Culley
Tuesday 03 June 2008 00:00 BST
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Regretting that he was unable to exceed his career-best 152 yesterday, Lancashire's Paul Horton recalled that Mohammad Yousuf, his companion in a record partnership here, had told him that if he wanted to move the next level as a player he should be aiming to score not just hundreds but double-hundreds.

"He says, 'if you want to play for Lancashire, get hundreds; if you want to play for England, get two-hundreds'," Horton said. "That's what guys like him do and what sets them apart."

As if to emphasise the point, the record-breaking Pakistan batsman went on to turn the century he had completed just before Horton was out – in the 12th over of the morning – into an unbeaten 205. It was the fifth double hundred of his career. It took him eight and a half hours, contained 19 fours and a six and, as farewell gestures go, will take some beating. This is the last match of his brief association with Lancashire, whom he joined when Brad Hodge defected to the Indian Premier League.

He was dropped on one on Saturday afternoon, which Yorkshire had not forgotten, even if it did seem an age ago when the two stand-in captains – Luke Sutton and Jacques Rudolph – shook hands on a draw at 10 to five yesterday. It is unlikely that the mistake influenced the result after the loss of Sunday's play, although the three batting points Lancashire gained subsequently might count for something in September.

Horton, whose alliance with Yousuf equalled the Lancashire partnership record of 258 (Horton and Stuart Law last year), said he felt almost that he had failed when Adil Rashid bowled him middle stump, even though he equalled his personal best, made against Hampshire last August. Given that he is averaging 75 in the Championship this season, he need not worry too much. After 1,100 runs at 48.52 last year he is the selectors' notebooks.

Rashid bowled commendably well for 47 overs, as he had to after both Darren Gough and Anthony McGrath failed to participate, through injury and sickness respectively, leaving an already thin Yorkshire attack thinner. He had Steven Croft leg before, agonisingly short of a maiden first-class century, while a maiden first-class wicket for the 19-year-old seamer Ben Sanderson accounted for Francois du Plessis, whose dismissal was the third duck in 481 for 5 declared.

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