Yorkshire have been tipped by many to be title challengers this season in the LV=County Championship. If their emphatic win over Worcestershire inside three days is anything to go by then you can see why.

A terrific performance with both bat and ball over the weekend was the reason that the Tykes got the 2011 season off to such a flyer. In the end they were rampant, winning by nine-wickets at New Road to pick up 22 points in Division One.

"I am delighted," said captain Andrew Gale afterwards.

"To win in three days is a great victory. I thought we played well, although there is still a lot more to come from us.

"Hopefully we can take this confidence forward now. The lads are full of themselves after the victory, but by no means will we get ahead of ourselves."

Cricket is of course a team game, but two individuals in particular took Yorkshire to such an impressive win.

First, it was Gerard Brophy, who hit an unbeaten 177 to stop Worcestershire from seizing the first-innings advantage. Secondly, it was Adil Rashid again, who ended with 11 wickets in a match for the first time in his career.

There was little evidence that it would be such a dramatic day when play resumed in sunny Worcester. Brophy and Ryan Sidebottom had rescued Yorkshire from 155 for seven on Saturday and they continued their successful partnership during the morning session.

Sidebottom was eventually ousted for a career-best 61, but the theme of the day had been set with the Tykes on top. Brophy kept on going, with good help from Steven Patterson and Moin Ashraf, to finish eight runs short of his best ever score as Yorkshire closed on 368 all out.

"He (Brophy) is hitting the ball really well at the moment," added Gale.

"His knock in this game was the best I have seen him play for Yorkshire."

The South African's efforts gave Yorkshire a vital 82-run first-innings lead, before Rashid returned with the ball to all but secure the victory.

In the end Worcestershire were bowled out for only 137, with eight of the wickets coming in a frantic afternoon session. Patterson took three of them, with Sidebottom also impressive to finish with two wickets. But it was Rashid who was the real star, taking five wickets for only ten runs to end the hosts' humiliation and return figures of 5-37 to go with 6-77 from the first innings.

That set Yorkshire only 56 to win in the evening sunshine, with Adam Lyth aptly ending proceedings with a sumptuous cover drive to seal the success.

There will undoubtedly be tougher tests over the course of this season than Worcestershire, who have now only won one game in their last 38 matches in Division One, but the confidence of such a comfortable victory could be vital to the Tykes chances this season.

This was a job well done.

SCORECARD

Worcestershire v Yorkshire
At New Road.
Overnight: Worcestershire 286 (M S Mason
63; A U Rashid 6-77).Yorkshire 284-7 (G L
Brophy 118 no, R J Sidebottom 50 no).
Yorkshire First Innings
G L Brophy not out 177
R J Sidebottom b Mason 61
S A Patterson lbw b M M Ali 10
M A Ashraf lbw b Andrew 0
Extras (b11 lb3 pens 0) 14
Total (121 overs) 368
Fall: 1-40 2-47 3-63 4-73 5-104 6-120 7-155
8-304 9-325
Bowling: D G Wright 28-4-79-3. Richardson
28-9-79-0. Andrew 17-4-57-2. Mason 22-2-
72-3. M M Ali 24-1-60-2. Cameron 2-0-7-0.
Worcestershire Second Innings
D K Mitchell lbw b Patterson 28
J G Cameron lbw b Sidebottom 11
V S Solanki c Bairstow b Sidebottom 12
M M Ali c Lyth b A U Rashid 21
A N Kervezee c Bairstow b Patterson 52
M G Pardoe c Lyth b A U Rashid 0
G M Andrew c Bairstow b Patterson 0
O B Cox not out 4
D G Wright lbw b A U Rashid 1
M S Mason lbw b A U Rashid 0
A Richardson b A U Rashid 0
Extras (b4 lb2 nb2 pens 0) 8
Total (38.5 overs) 137
Fall: 1-21 2-49 3-53 4-102 5-120 6-121 7-
132 8-135 9-135
Bowling: Sidebottom 11-2-36-2. Patterson
14-2-43-3. A U Rashid 9.5-2-37-5. Ashraf 4-
1-15-0.
Yorkshire Second Innings
A Lyth not out 29
J J Sayers lbw b Richardson 2
J E Root not out 21
Extras (b4 pens 0) 4
Total 1 wkt (12.3 overs) 56
Fall: 1-16
Bowling: D G Wright 4-0-15-0. Richardson
4-0-15-1. Mason 2.3-0-14-0. M M Ali 2-0-8- 0.
Yorkshire (22pts) beat Worcestershire (4pts) by 9 wkts