Glorious Yorkshire crush Warwickshire

Yorkshire 561 for 7 dec (Rudolph 220, Bresnan 101*) beat Warwickshire 129 and 222 (Ambrose 89*, Gough 5-52, Hoggard 3-28) by an innings and 210 runs
Scorecard

It was like a flashback to Yorkshire's glory days, when Brian Close and Fred Trueman led a county team that could crush the best of the rest by yawning margins with time to spare.

Yorkshire before lunch were magnificent. They declared with a first-innings lead of 432 and ripped through Warwickshire with devastating power, reducing them to a cringing 40 for 7 at the interval. Darren Gough rolled back the years with some superb pace bowling worthy of his pomp, while Matthew Hoggard too rose to his best form at the other end. The visitors, lacking resolution, crumbled dismally, and total humiliation seemed inevitable.

Warwickshire did escape with a little dignity, as Yorkshire relaxed somewhat during the afternoon session, with the match in their pockets, and Warwickshire added 191 runs for the last three wickets as they indulged in some carefree stroke play.

Tim Ambrose took advantage the most effectively, with a well-played 89 not out, but Yorkshire finally wrapped up a victory by an innings and 210 runs. Inzamam-ul-Haq took his third good catch to end the match, off Gough.

Climate change has been very evident in Scarborough on a daily basis. The third day began overcast and gloomy, but without the piercing wind; during Warwickshire's dark hour before lunch the clouds dispersed and the sun shone warmly. Again several thousand people attended county cricket's best supported out-ground.

Yorkshire continued batting in the morning, with the overnight pair of Jacques Rudolph and Tim Bresnan both approaching milestones. Rudolph fell two short of his highest career score, making 220 before sparring outside the off stump to Alfonso Thomas. His figures were 328 balls, 412 minutes, 27 fours and two sixes.

Not long afterwards Bresnan reached his third century, all scored this season (124 balls, 15 fours and a six), and Yorkshire declared at this point. This was their highest total against Warwickshire at home, but they declined to chase the away record of 887 scored at Edgbaston in 1896.

Michael Powell pulled Gough's first ball for four, but was beaten three times during that over. The total reached 10 before the first wicket fell, and that was the highest stand before the eighth as the Yorkshire and England pacemen ripped the innings apart. There were a few loose deliveries: Jim Troughton was superbly caught by a diving Adil Rashid at point slashing at a wide long hop from Gough, but on the whole the embattled Warwickshire top order, lacking true incentive were totally shattered.

How did such a placid pitch turn into a batsman's nightmare, with deliveries rearing and moving so viciously? Just two fine bowlers prepared to bend their backs, according to the groundsman, and there was no reason to think otherwise. Gough finished with 5 for 52, Hoggard 3 for 28, and the fielding before lunch was superb.

Yorkshire's victory - while their competitors lost ground to the rain - puts them in with a chance of a Championship title again, but those rivals do have a match in hand. Yorkshire played like true champions for much of this match, after their humiliation by Lancashire and inept bowling against Worcestershire. To win the title, they will at the very least have to maintain this form, and also keep their foot on the pedal until the very last ball.