Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has sent a warning to rest of the County Championship's Division One ahead of Thursday's meeting with Durham at Headingley.

The White Rose county secured a thumping nine-wicket win over Worcestershire inside three days at New Road over the weekend, winning their first match of the season for the second year running.

The result led to a number of pundits installing them as title favourites.

But Gale said: "We played some good cricket against Worcester, but I don't think we played our best cricket - not by a long way. There's plenty more to come from us.

"I thought we weren't quite at our best in certain areas, but the main thing is that we stuck to our task.

"Hopefully it can be like the victory in our first game at Warwickshire last season. We took a lot of confidence from that, and it really helped to set us up nicely for the rest of the campaign."

One of those areas Gale has pinpointed will no doubt be their top order batting seen as they slipped to 155-7 in their first innings before an eighth wicket stand of 149 between Gerard Brophy and Ryan Sidebottom rescued the situation.

But, with Anthony McGrath set to return from his knee injury tomorrow in place of youngster Joe Root, there is no need to worry yet.

"The game proved just how important our lower order can be," continued Gale. "Ryan has shaped up well in pre-season. He has taken his batting seriously, and I think Steve Patterson was a bit gutted to be dropped down to ten. But we've seen just what Sid can do."

Durham, county champions in 2008 and 2009, started their campaign with a high-scoring draw against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

And, despite travelling to Headingley with a number of fitness question marks, they will put Gale's theory that there is more to come from his side to the test.

"It should be a cracking game," continued Gale. "It will certainly be a tougher test than Worcestershire because they are a good side.

"You can never write them off in a Championship race because they will be there or there abouts at the end of a season.

"We have got to be right on our game come Thursday if we are to get anything out of the fixture."

Gale also reserved praise for White Rose leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who claimed a career best 11 wickets in the match at New Road under the gaze of England's chief selector Geoff Miller.

He added: "It's quite uncanny for a spinner to be taking 11 wickets in the second week of April, but I thought he bowled outstandingly well.

"Over the last few years I think he's always been knocking on England's door, but I don't think he's the finished article either. He's still got areas of his game that he needs to improve.

"He can be a genuine all-rounder. He needs to knuckle down with the bat."