Chris Silverwood struck quickly to separate the Essex openers at Chelmsford today after Yorkshire had been bowled out for 311, their last three wickets today adding only seven runs.

It was a slightly disappointing total after they had stood on 203 for two at one stage yesterday, but Essex were soon in trouble when Paul Prichard got an intended pull at Silverwood on the splice of his bat and a simple catch lobbed up to Matthew Wood at short-leg.

Essex were seven for one in the third over and Ian Flanagan joined Darren Robinson to face Silverwood and his new ball partner, Matthew Hoggard, who four times in his first over strayed down the legside.

Robinson, painfully hit on the foot by Silverwood, gained a measure of revenge by straight driving him to the fence but the batsmen generally had to exercise great care against Silverwood who was generating a good deal of pace and with six overs gone Essex were 23 for one.

The home side were finding life difficult and Flanagan was well held by David Byas off Hoggard with the score on 34.

Yorkshire had resumed on another fine morning on 304 for seven in 108 overs but hopes of making it to 350 were badly dented in the second over of the day when Richard Blakey pushed half forward at Mark Ilott and was lbw for eight with just three added.

Ian Fisher joined fellow left-hander Ryan Sidebottom and got off the mark with a push for two through mid-wicket against Ashley Cowan and a steer to third man for a single from the next ball.

But Cowan then tested Sidebottom with a short delivery which whistled past his helmet and the next ball found the edge to be taken at second slip by Stuart Law. Last man Matthew Hoggard did not last long, being caught behind by Barry Hyam to bring Cowan his second wicket of the morning.

Cowan and off-spinner Peter Such each claimed three wickets for Essex and it was Such and former Yorkshire left-armer Paul Grayson who had done much to stop Yorkshire's advance yesterday.

Yorkshire had picked up three batting bonus points for the first time this season and much of their success was due to a century from Michael Vaughan who made exactly 100 yesterday with 15 boundaries before being caught at mid-off driving at Such.

It was Vaughan's 13th century for Yorkshire and his first of the championship campaign after six innings had brought him only 68 runs.

Vaughan was relieved to see his edge off Jamie Grove put down at second slip by Law when he was on 29 but the opener was otherwise in sound form and he did not give another chance.

His second wicket partnership with Byas was worth 137 in 37 overs.

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