Facing the Sussex attack seems to bring out the best in county cricket's talented Australian contingent.

At Old Trafford last month Lancashire's Stuart Law made 218 and Sussex have also suffered at the hands of Andrew Symonds and Jamie Cox this season.

Yesterday it was Darren Lehmann's turn to enjoy himself against the county's bowlers as he led a fightback on the third day at Arundel with a masterful 216, the eighth double century of his career. Yorkshire were 357-4 at the close, a lead of 220.

An attack without James Kirtley, Jason Lewry and Paul Hutchison probably surpassed expectations when they dismissed Yorkshire for 255 in their first innings.

Yesterday Lehmann made them look rather toothless although it could have been so much different had Mark Robinson not over-stepped when he bowled the burly Queenslander via an inside edge after Lehmann had made just 17.

Such was Lehmann's control, it was another three hours before Sussex got another opportunity when he nicked Kevin Innes seemingly straight through Tim Ambrose's grasp at slip.

Another inside edge, also off Innes, went flying past Matt Prior's gloves but by then Lehmann had already registered his 60th first-class hundred.

Not much else got through until Billy Taylor surprised Lehmann with a slower ball three overs before the close. His innings spanned six hours and he faced 302 balls, hitting 25 fours and a six off Mark Davis.

Chris Adams took the unusual step of calling his players together for a pep-talk between overs after tea. Whatever he said had little effect. Lehmann appeared to have all the time he wanted on an easy-paced pitch to despatch the bad ball as the Sussex seamers struggled all day to bowl a consistent length.

Yorkshire had begun the day 137 in arrears and early on things went well for Sussex.

Taylor struck with the fourth ball of the innings when Craig White was leg before while Matthew Wood perished flayling at a ball well outside off stump in the eighth over.

Although Lehmann and Anthony McGrath put on 99 for the third wicket, Yorkshire were still 24 behind when Davis had McGrath caught at bat-pad in his second over after lunch.

That was as good as it got for Sussex. Adams used seven bowlers including Richard Montgomerie but it made no difference to Lehmann who by now had found an equally resilient partner in Michael Lumb.

Even Robinson applauded when Lehmann despatched the first delivery with the new ball to reach his double hundred. Sussex desperately need quick wickets this morning if they are to have any hope of a second successive win over the Tykes but a draw looks the more likely outcome.