Yorkshire wrapped up a thumping innings and 106-run victory over Essex during the third afternoon at Headingley to all but preserve their Division One status in the Rothesay County Championship. 

Wickets aplenty fell today as Essex, who started on 137-7 in their first-innings reply to 390, subsided in the face of the excellent George Hill and Kuldeep Yadav, the latter who was sensational for career best first-class match figures of 10-120. 

The Chelmsford county were put under an avalanche of pressure across the three days as the White Rose won for the fourth time in 12 games and claimed 22 points.

They were bowled out for 171 just before lunch and then 113 second time around in the afternoon.

Kuldeep added figures of 6-50 to his first-innings 4-70, while Hill struck four times today – two in each innings – and finished with five in the match.  

Yorkshire claimed 22 points for win number four in 12 games, and they can start planning for a shot at the title next summer.

The White Rose started this round of fixtures seven points above second-bottom Leicestershire with three games to play.

And the Foxes are not only under pressure in their ongoing game against Somerset at Grace Road but also the subject of a charge for breaking the ECB’s pitch regulations during a recent match against Glamorgan. A points deduction is possible.

Wicketkeeper-batter George Bell offered the only resistance of note for Essex by completing a first-innings 64 not out this morning.

Hill claimed two of the final three wickets to fall in the Essex first innings, Kuldeep getting the other. 

The pair then struck twice apiece as the visitors slipped to 14-4 in 12 overs of the second innings at lunch.

Bell and seamer Zaman Akhter completed an eighth-wicket stand of 68 this morning before Hill Akhter caught behind. The same man also bowled Sam Cook to wrap the innings up. In between, Kuldeep bowled Mitch Killeen.

Jonny Bairstow enforced the follow-on with a lead of 219, and Essex were quickly under the cosh again. 

Hill started the ball rolling by getting Dean Elgar caught behind and Tom Westley trapped lbw.

And when Kuldeep struck twice in as many balls immediately before lunch, Essex were four down and still more than 200 runs in arrears. Charlie Allison chipped to short mid-on before Matt Critchley was bowled through the gate.

Four became five with the score on 26 when Kuldeep had Luc Benkenstein caught at slip. 

Essex resisted to the tune of a sixth-wicket 40 partnership between Bell and opener Paul Walter, the former contributing 28 and the latter hoisting Dom Bess for a straight six.

Kuldeep had Bell caught behind playing back, leaving the visitors at 66-6, before Bess trapped Shane Snater lbw as he offered no shot next over with the score on 71.

Kuldeep bowled Akhter, also offering no shot, to a big turner of a delivery with – 84-8 – and Walter was stumped on 48 by Bairstow as the left-hander had a big and unsuccessful heave at Bess.

Kuldeep then bowled Cook to wrap things up.

New-ball seamer Cook, released from England’s Test squad to play yesterday, didn’t bowl a ball in the match and posted scores of nought and one from number 11 in the order.

This sets Yorkshire up perfectly for a crack at title-chasing Somerset at Headingley from next Tuesday when they will aim to complete the season’s double having beaten them at Taunton earlier in the campaign.

Bess should also take a huge amount of credit from this game having hit 80 not out in the first innings added to three wickets in the first innings and two in the second.