It took Yorkshire only 13 legitimate deliveries to complete a resounding Championship victory by 137 runs over Essex at Chelmsford on Saturday and return home with 21 points in the bag.
Yorkshire's spirits were high after achieving their first double against Essex since 1961 and the win lifted them a couple of places in the Second Division table and gave fresh impetus to their promotion ambitions.
Although only in sixth spot, Yorkshire have games in hand over most of the other sides in their division and they have played two fewer matches than Durham who they meet at Riverside tomorrow.
It was the spin of Darren Lehmann and Richard Dawson which had Essex in turmoil on the third evening when they closed on 108-8 after narrowly surviving the extra half-hour.
But, fearful of an onslaught from Darren Gough, Yorkshire resumed with the pace of Steve Kirby and Chris Silverwood on the final morning and the decision paid off handsomely.
Gough soon showed he was in a do-or-die mood against his former team-mates but in Silverwood's first over he edged a drive straight to Matthew Wood at second slip and Kirby then had Graham Napier stunningly caught left-handed at second slip by Phil Jaques.
Essex had been bowled out for 116 in 49.1 overs and Lehmann's return of 4-35 in 17 overs gave him his best figures in first-class cricket.
After five matches, Yorkshire have still to beat a county other than Essex but with Silverwood and Kirby both back from injuries and their batsmen running nicely into form they have overcome their depression of a couple of weeks ago.
Yorkshire captain Craig White bravely admitted after the first day at Chelmsford that he had misread the pitch and should have given a Championship debut to 18-year-old leg-spinner Mark Lawson.
But his mistake did not prove nearly so serious as Essex captain Ronnie Irani's decision to put Yorkshire in to bat, leaving his own side exposed to a turning pitch in the fourth innings.
Their 254 target was not a formidable one, but once Silverwood had brushed aside both openers, Lehmann and Dawson exploited the conditions well together.
Lehmann once again showed what a remarkable player he is and to perform with such all-round distinction while still suffering from jet lag after returning from Zimbabwe earlier in the week was a great achievement.
"I was feeling pretty tired during the match but a couple of nights sleep will put me right and I will be fine for Durham which is a big game for us," he said.
Director of cricketer David Byas praised Lehmann's role in the game and particularly his bowling.
"By his own admission 'Boof' is not the best left-arm spinner in the world and he is no Shane Warne but he has character and guile in his armoury and is an old pro against less experienced players," said Byas.
"I am thrilled with the way we have played at Chelmsford and it was a terrific game of cricket which to'd and fro'd. We wanted to set them more than 254 but they used the conditions to their advantage which is exactly what we then went and did ourselves."
Updated: 10:32 Monday, June 07, 2004
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