IT took until the second over after tea before a double strike by Matthew Hoggard snuffed out Somerset's stiff resistance and brought Yorkshire victory by an innings and 44 runs in their first home Championship game of the season.

The win was still an outstanding one for Yorkshire, who gathered a maximum 22 points from a match which had the first day obliterated by the weather.

It was Yorkshire's first home triumph in exactly a year and it has left captain Craig White and his team confident they can go on and clinch promotion this time.

Somerset were struggling on 109-4 at the start of the final day, still 210 runs behind and without acting captain Marcus Trescothick, who had returned to Taunton to be at the birth of his baby daughter, Ellie, who arrived early on Saturday.

But Yorkshire found opener John Francis in defiant mood and when Somerset's last wicket fell, the left-hander was still there on 125 from 286 balls with 15 crisply struck boundaries.

Francis became the first Somerset batsman to carry his bat since Peter Roebuck performed the feat against Middlesex at Taunton in 1991.

Aaron Laraman gave Francis solid support for the first hour and the fifth wicket pair had added 130 when Laraman swept at Richard Dawson and was caught at short leg by Michael Lumb for 53 from 131 deliveries with seven boundaries.

Acting captain Rob Turner, Richard Johnson and Andy Caddick all rallied round Francis and at tea Yorkshire were beginning to wonder if Somerset may cling on.

But such thoughts were quickly dispelled by Hoggard, who had Caddick caught by Phil Jaques at first slip and with his next ball had last man Nixon McLean edging to Matthew Wood at second slip.

Director of cricket David Byas said: "I was delighted with the result and thought we showed patience and discipline over the three days."

Updated: 10:05 Monday, April 25, 2005