YORKSHIRE are still perched on top of the ppp Healthcare County Championship table despite their nine wicket mauling in the Roses match at Old Trafford. But they are not in the comfort zone they would have occupied had they beaten their old rivals.

Instead of putting plenty of space between themselves and the other pack leaders they now find Lancashire breathing down their necks only two points adrift with Surrey and Leicestershire also hard on their heels.

It means Yorkshire are sure to be involved in a fierce dogfight over the coming weeks and the scrap starts on Friday at Headingley when they begin their attempt to do the double over Durham, who have moved out of the three relegation places following their big win against Derbyshire.

Before then, however, Yorkshire must recharge their batteries in time for Wednesday's NatWest Trophy fourth round match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road when they will have their four Test heroes back in the fold.

Morning rain on Saturday only prolonged the agony for Yorkshire, who quickly succumbed to Lancashire after the players had taken an nearly lunch.Without adding to their overnight 130 for seven, Chris Silverwood hooked impetuously at Mike Smethurst to give a catch at long leg to Gary Yates,who had been placed there exactly for that shot and Ryan Sidebottom could not avoid brushing the next ball off his glove to Saurav Ganguly at first slip.

James Middlebrook continued to bat with much commonsense during a comfortable last wicket stand of 21 with Paul Hutchison but as soon as Glen Chapple took over from Smethurst Middlebrook had a rush of blood and edged a drive to Graham Lloyd.

As in the first innings, Yorkshire had fallen apart after making a reasonable start and with Lancashire requiring just 47 only the formalities remained. Hutchison removed John Crawley's off-bail with one which nipped back but Mark Chilton and Neil Fairbrother warmed to their task and Fairbrother ended the match in the grand manner by driving Ian Fisher for six.

Richard Blakey worked hard for his runs in both innings and Simon Widdup showed promise on his first class debut but Yorkshire's batsmen were generally out of sorts, including skipper David Byas who continues his struggle to find some decent form this season.

Middlebrook and Fisher bowled tidily on a dry pitch which assisted the spinners but neither performed quite so well as Gary Keedy for Lancashire, the left-armer making the move over the Pennines at the end of the 1994 season.

sport@ycp.co.uk