WORCESTERSHIRE put up a much better fight at Headingley yesterday when they avoided the indignity of an innings defeat and then claimed a consolation wicket before Yorkshire scored the token four runs they required for their sixth win of the season.

It was, however, still a shocking result for Worcestershire who stay embedded in the lower half of the table with the second division beckoning when the championship splits into two next summer.

Although happier with their second innings 287, coach Bill Athey had no excuses to offer for Worcestershire being swept away inside three days.

"I am still convinced we made the right decision to bat first and it was poor batting against good new ball bowling that saw us dismissed for 90 rather than excessive swing or movement off the pitch," he said.

"The ball does move about at Headingly in sultry weather, but it didn't do all that much and it was another disappointing effort on our part.

"Too often we have got bowled out cheaply in the first innings this season and when you do that you are always chasing the game. We showed far more resolve in the second innings but by then it was too late."

Resuming on 44-1 yesterday and still needing 240 to make Yorkshire bat again, Worcestershire adopted a positive tone during the morning by adding 124 runs but losing five wickets in the process.

The charge was initially led by Vikram Solanki who thrashed 70 off 91 balls with a dozen boundaries before playing Gavin Hamilton onto his stumps off his foot. When he had gone Tom Moody blazed the trail in a 51 stand with David Leatherdale.

But Worcestershire's chances of a major recovery died the ball before lunch when Moody was lbw to Michael Vaughan's off-spin for 56 from 89 deliveries with eight firmly punched fours.

Stuart Lampitt came in immediately after the interval and stubbornly resisted spin and pace alike for three hours to finish unbeaten on a season's best 66 off 174 balls with nine boundaries.

Steve Rhodes helped him add a stubborn 60 in 37 overs before falling lbw and the end came quickly when Yorkshire belatedly took the new ball, Paul Hutchison trapping both Phil Newport and Matthew Rawnsley lbw and Craig White trimming Alamgir Sheriyar's bails.

It took Yorkshire two legitimate balls and a no-ball to secure their maximum 20 points win after Leatherdale had bowled Stuart Wood.

Yorkshire 374 (Hamilton 94 no, Byas 67, McGrath 51; Sheriyar 4-94)

Worcestershire 90 (Hutchison 6-35)

WORCS -- Second Innings

Wilson c Wood b Hutchison 16

Solanki b Hamilton 70

Moody c Blakey b Vaughan 56

Batson lbw b White 1

Leatherdale c & b Vaughan 19

Rhodes lbw b Blewett 32

Lampitt not out 66

Newport lbw b Hutchison 5

Rawnsley lbw b Hutchison 0

Sheriyar b White 5

Extras: 17

Total: (all out) 287

Bowling: Hamilton 16-3-56-2; Hutchison 19-5-68-3; Fisher 28-10-48-0; Vaughan 25-8-45-2; White 20-7-37-2; Blewett 6-2-13-1; McGrath 3-1-3-0.

YORKS ---Second Innings

Wood b Leatherdale 2

Vaughan not out 0

Byas not out 0

Extras: 2

Total: (1 wkt) 4

Bowling: Leatherdale 0.2-0-4-1.