They say you never forget your first hundred. In truth I remember all of mine, 33 at the last count.

They have all been important, to me at least, some though will always seem extra special.

Your first hundred is a huge milestone and one which you want to pass as early as possible in your career. I was fortunate to achieve the feat at the age of 20 and possibly what made it all the more special was that it was against the old enemy, Yorkshire.

A packed Scarborough was the venue and the bowling attack consisted of Sidebottom, Jarvis, Hartley, Shaw and Carrick. It seems like only yesterday when I swept Carrick to bring up my first and most treasured century.

Tim Ambrose, not yet 20 and with only a handful of games in the bank, went one better this week. A first century in any form of cricket for the county was always going to be sweet for Tim but to achieve it at Headingley, a seamers' paradise, with four Test bowlers on show, was a spectacular achievement.

Walking to the crease with Sussex on the brink of collapse the youngster was given a thorough working over. In truth Yorkshire will never know how he survived, countlessly passing the outside edge.

If his first 40 runs were chancy and unattractive, the next 100 was classy, stylish and in total control. Surely, this was no teenager dishing out a severe beating to the county champions?

Having passed the magic three figures you could have forgiven him for getting out, overcome with emotion and a loss of concentration. Not so, he dug in to take the team in at stumps on a commanding 375-6, his own tally a whopping 140 not out over night. Surely there can be no finer feeling in the world?

It wasn't all the Tim Ambrose Show, though. When Matt Prior joined him at the crease we were in big trouble at 120-5. If anything it was Matt's arrival and positive aggressive approach which spurred Tim into a different mode. When the senior of the two, Prior aged 20, departed tantalisingly close to a first century as well, records had tumbled.

Most notably their partnership became the highest ever sixth wicket total in Headingley history. No longer can the greats like Sutcliffe, Hutton and Boycott lay claim to all the history of this ever-changing arena.

At the time of writing we are in a strong position against the Tykes and as we host them at Arundel in two weeks a first win in the Championship at Headingley would go a long way to easing the frustrations of the season.

My own frustrations increased this week as I learnt that my troubled knee would require surgery. Fortunately, it was relatively good news. Repair to a torn cartilage and general clean up was all that I required and it looks very promising that I will be able to make my comeback at Arundel, a ground which has served me so well in the past.

With the Test match once again totally eclipsed by England's fortunes in the World Cup, Nasser Hussain's men will hope to ease through the week untroubled and with the minimal of fuss.

There will be one or two eyes though on Teletext on Saturday morning with the announcement of the England one-day squad. James Kirtley must have a very good shout, especially with Gough still troubled with injury. My own fortunes? Well, who knows. I believe as always that I should be there but having missed the last three weeks you can't help but feel the selectors may once again look elsewhere.

Never mind, there is still time for me and if I continue where I left off that should put the cat among the pigeons. Good luck to those that get picked, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for the successful players is a place in the World Cup and that's cricket not football!

Saturday June 15