“We are back where we belong.”

Those were the proud words of Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale tonight after the county secured promotion from Division Two of the LV= County Championship.

The Tykes success was sealed at 6.04pm after a bizarre end to Kent’s game at Glamorgan.

The visitors needed to win to deny Yorkshire a place in the First Division, but were beaten by seven wickets after two late delays for bad light had looked like postponing the Tykes' promotion party by 24 hours.

“I am over the moon,” enthused Gale after day three of his team’s match with Essex.

“We were watching our 'aps' very closely to see what was going on in Cardiff and pressing the refresh button as many times as we could!

“We set out to get back in Division One this year and we’ve done that at the first attempt. After the heartbreak of finals day a few weeks ago, to go up in the Championship is what this year is all about.”

Kent’s defeat means Yorkshire are now guaranteed at least second spot in the table, but it could yet be a double celebration by the end of tomorrow.

The Tykes will win the title if they win and Derbyshire don’t.

Both of those results are still possible, with Hampshire on 142-6 in their second innings, which is a lead of 139 runs.

Yorkshire are in an even better position against Essex, with the home side on 28-2 in pursuit of a mammoth victory target of 388.

Gale continued: “We want to win here and finish on a high. If we win and don’t go up as champions then we couldn’t have done anymore.”

The fact the Tykes are in such a good position is mostly down to an excellent display with the bat by Bradford-born Anthony McGrath and Azeem Rafiq.

With the county resuming on 44-3, they made 68 and 75 not out respectively to underpin Yorkshire’s total of 252-8 declared in their second innings.

Adam Lyth also hit a fifty to set Essex their lrage victory target before they stumbled to the close.

Rafiq took one of the wickets to remove Jaik Mickleburgh for two, with Steven Patterson then ousting Tom Westley for 18 just three overs before the end of play.

As the players walked off the county’s promotion was yet to be sealed but the good news came through from Cardiff to kick-start the party.