Yorkshire have been tipped by many to be title challengers this season in the LV= County Championship. If their emphatic win over Worcestershire inside three days is anything to go by then you can see why.

A terrific performance with both bat and ball over the weekend was the reason that the Tykes got the 2011 season off to such a flier. In the end they were rampant, winning by nine-wickets at New Road to pick up 22 points in division one.

“I am delighted,” said captain Andrew Gale.

“To win in three days is a great victory. I thought we played well, although there is still a lot more to come from us. We can take this confidence into our next games now.”

Cricket is, of course, a team game, but two individuals in particular took Yorkshire to such an impressive win.

First, it was Gerard Brophy, who hit an unbeaten 177 to stop Worcestershire from seizing the first-innings advantage.

Secondly, it was Adil Rashid again, who ended with 11 wickets in a match for the first time in his career.

There was little evidence it would be such a dramatic day when play resumed in sunny Worcester.

Brophy and Ryan Sidebottom had rescued Yorkshire from 155-7 on Saturday and continued their successful partnership during the morning session.

Sidebottom was eventually ousted for a career-best 61, but the theme of the day had been set with the Tykes on top.

Brophy kept on going, with good help from Steven Patterson and Moin Ashraf, to finish eight runs short of his best ever score as Yorkshire closed on 368.

It gave them a vital 82-run first-innings lead, before Rashid returned with the ball to all but secure the victory.

In the end Worcestershire were bowled out for only 137, with eight of the wickets coming in a frantic afternoon session. Patterson took three of them, with Sidebottom also impressive to finish with two.

But it was Rashid who was the star, taking five wickets for only ten runs to end the hosts’ humiliation and return figures of 5-37 to go with 6-77 from the first innings.

That set Yorkshire only 56 to win, with Adam Lyth aptly ending proceedings with a sumptuous cover drive to seal the success.

There will undoubtedly be tougher tests over the course of this season than Worcestershire, who have now only won one game in their last 38 matches in division one, but the confidence of such a comfortable victory could be vital to the Tykes chances this season.

This was a job well done.