Yorkshire picked up a maximum 22 points from their opening Championship match of the season, but not before they had been uncomfortably stretched by Essex.

With the visitors beginning the final day still one run in arrears and only four wickets in hand, Yorkshire should have been all done and dusted by lunchtime. But they met tough resistance and only 18 overs remained when they finally won by seven wickets.

James Middlebrook was soon taken at first slip by Ian Harvey off Steve Kirby and the game would have been wrapped up quickly if wicketkeeper Simon Guy had not let Graham Napier off the hook by dropping a sitter.

Aftab Habib and Napier made a frustrating 53 stand in 17 overs before Harvey drifted one away from Napier to have Napier caught at first slip by Matthew Wood for 30.

John Stephenson shrugged off a thumb injury and even kept going even after being hit on the same hand by a ball from Kirby.

The ninth wicket pair put on 61 in 22 overs before Habib smashed Kirby into the covers where Michael Lumb held a stunning catch at shoulder height. Habib departed for 62 off 192 balls, with seven boundaries. He had thwarted Yorkshire for four and a half hours.

The Essex innings closed on 273, leaving Yorkshire to make 128 to win which they did without too much fusss.

But the win should be kept in perspective, Essex were without six of their top players and had injuries Stephenson and Adrian McCoubrey, who didn't bowl in the second innings.

Updated: 11:09 Monday, April 26, 2004