Yorkshire, as expected, picked up a maximum 22 points from their opening Championship match of the season, but not before they had been uncomfortably stretched by Essex.

With the visitors starting the final day still one run in arrears and only four wickets in hand, Yorkshire should have been all done and dusted by lunchtime but they came up against some tough resistance and only 18 overs remained when they finally clinched victory by seven wickets.

Pudsey Congs' James Middlebrook was soon taken at first slip by Ian Harvey off Steve Kirby and the game would have been wrapped up quickly if wicketkeeper Simon Guy had not let Graham Napier off the hook by dropping a sitter.

It proved a costly miss because Aftab Habib and Napier settled into a frustrating 53 stand together in 17 overs during which Napier drove Darren Lehmann for a straight six and there was some relief when Harvey drifted one away from Napier to have him caught at first slip by Matthew Wood for 30.

But Habib found another solid partner in brave John Stephenson who shrugged off a painful thumb injury and even kept going even after being hit on the same hand by a ball from Kirby.

The ninth wicket pair put on 61 in 22 overs and were beginning to make Yorkshire's attack look threadbare when Habib smashed Kirby into the covers where Michael Lumb held on to a stunning catch at shoulder height. Habib departed for 62 off 192 balls with seven boundaries and he had thwarted Yorkshire for four-and-a-half hours.

A good diving catch by Wood at second slip got rid of Stephenson for 34 and closed the innings on 273, leaving Yorkshire to make 128 to win which they did without too much fuss, the wearing pitch being responsible for a couple of the dismissals.

Wood fell lbw to Scott Brant from one that kept a shade low and after Craig White had played some cracking cover drives for the second time in the match he had his off-stump removed by a wicked shooter from Napier.

The rapidly improving Chris Taylor began to drive handsomely after a careful start and with Lehmann out to entertain at every possible opportunity the pair added 59 in 11 overs.

Lehmann smashed Middlebrook into the West Stand for six but, in attempting another big hit to win the match later in the over, he saw the ball spin back into his stumps, leaving Taylor to finish unbeaten on 43 from 83 balls with five fours.

It was a great start to the season by Yorkshire but the win should be kept in perspective. Essex went into the game without six of their top players and sufferied injuries to both Stephenson and paceman Adrian McCoubrey who was unable to bowl in the second innings.

And, of course, Yorkshire started off last season with a crushing win by an innings and 343 runs over Northamptonshire but in the end it was Northants who were promoted while Yorkshire stayed in the Second Division.

* Yorkshire seconds will give a debut to a 25-year-old fast bowler of West Indian origin in their three-day match against England Under 19s which starts at Headingley tomorrow.

Leo Smith, who last year played in the Middlesex League, wrote to Yorkshire asking for a trial, and director of cricket, David Byas, is impressed with what he has seen so far.

"He is pretty sharp and bowls a bit like West Indian Test bowler Winston Davis did with a high action,'' said Byas.

Another youngster given a game is Dan Conway who comes from Middlesbrough and has played for Cleveland Schools.

Paceman Steve Kirby plays after being pulled out of the first team squad for Trent Bridge because of a back injury, the cause of which is being investigated.

Yorkshire: A Gale, R Pyrah, A Gray, R Blakey (captain), N Thornicroft, S Kirby, C Gilbert, M Lawson, D Conway, L Smith, Ajmal Shahzad.

England U19s (from): M Ali (Warks), M O'Shea (Glam), S Cusden (Kent), J Hildreth (Som), T New (Leics, captain/wkt), M Parsons (Som), S Patel (Notts), S Davies (Worcs) A Harrison (Glam), R Bopara (Essex), L Wright (Sussex), B Harmison (Durham).