RICHARD Dawson returned to the county where he developed his bowling as a student and spun Devon to destruction in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy at Exmouth yesterday.

Dawson, who played several games for Devon while studying at Exeter University, came back as an England bowler and showed why as he ran through the tail in short order to finish with career best figures of four for 34.

His form has not been great by his own admission so far this season, but this performance will lift his confidence for the championship game against Leicestershire at Grace Road starting tomorrow.

He and skipper Darren Lehmann formed a lethal spin duo as Devon were shot out for 116, losing their last six wickets for 24 runs.

So Yorkshire got the tie out of the way without fuss even though play did not start until 2.15 because of overnight rain and morning showers.

They now travel to meet Northamptonshire, who scraped through by one wicket against Suffolk yesterday.

Yorkshire looked as if they might top 300 as Craig White launched another blistering attack.

His 87 came off only 73 balls and contained a dozen fours. It is the seventh time he has past 50 already this season but after his departure in the 30th over, caught at the wicket off the bowling of Australian Neil Hancock Yorkshire could not lift the tempo.

They did not need to and Lehmann and Anthony McGrath were content to take their singles and play the occasional big shot in a stand of 63 in 12 overs.

Lehmann played what for him was a fairly subdued innings which contained only a couple of fours before he hoisted fast bowling Ian Bishop over mid-wicket for six on his way to an unbeaten half century from 55 balls.

But McGrath, Matthew Wood and Michael Lumb will be disappointed to have missed the chance to get some big runs under the belts.

A target of 260 was always going to be well out of Devon's range but at times Yorkshire were not to impressive in the field.

They gave each opener a life in the first over, bowled by Chris Silverwood, as McGrath missed a slip chance and Gary Fellows a hard one in the covers. Later Tim Bresnan dropped a sitter in the outfield but these lapses did not really matter.

David Lye and Bobby Dawson batted well for Devon and there were some defiant blows late on from Hancock, who hit Lehmann over mid-wicket for six.

But the Yorkshire skipper soon had his revenge and went on to finish with career best figures of four for 26 as Devon subsided to a 143-run defeat, Dawson completing the rout with two wickets in two balls in the 40th over.

Steve Kirby returns to the pace attack of Leicester tomorrow and left-hander Vic Craven makes his first senior appearance of the season, replacing Fellows in the middle order.

Yorkshire were today waiting to see if Matthew Hogard is picked for the second Test. If not, he could be released in time to play for them tomorrow.

Updated: 09:13 Thursday, May 30, 2002