Yorkshire's new captain, Craig White, led from the front to put his side into a healthy position against Essex.

After his six bowlers had taken wickets to send back Essex for 262, White opened the Yorkshire reply and was soon stroking the ball through the covers during a sparkling innings of 60 before falling lbw.

White's positive effort helped push Yorkshire on to 146 for two by the close when they trailed by only 116 with Darren Lehmann in full flow.

There was also a personal milestone for White to celebrate because when he brought up his 50 with his ninth boundary it also took him beyond 10,000 runs in first class cricket. He requires only seven runs to complete 8,000 for his county.

The sun came out when Essex resumed on 128 for three with opener Will Jefferson on 60 and Mark Pettini 11 and the first six scoring shots were all boundaries which suggested that Yorkshire were slow in finding the right line and length.

Essex were beginning to take the initiative at 159 for three but Steve Kirby righted the balance with the wickets of Jefferson and James Foster in the same over, Jefferson whipping the ball into the waiting hands of Michael Lumb at short square leg and Foster taken in the slips.

The fourth wicket pair added 72 together and another useful stand developed as James Middlebrook settled against his native county and batted positively until a ball off bat and pad from Darren Lehmann ballooned on the on side and Simon Guy made ground to scoop up.

Graham Napier got off the mark with a pulled six and an extra cover four from consecutive balls from Lehmann but once the Australian snared Pettini lbw for a defiant 67, Essex subsided. They were not helped by John Stephenson having to retire hurt for a while when a ball from Vic Craven crushed the tip of his right thumb and knocked back the nail, making it doubtful whether he will be able to bowl.

Both Wood and White began the replay confidently but when White had made 16 he failed to make contact with a hook at Scott Brant and the ball rolled off his body and trickled on to his leg stump with just sufficient force to dislodge a bail.

Taylor was fortunate to get his first runs with a false stroke at Brant which just cleared the slips but he looked in fine form and it was White whose luck was really in on 37 when Alastair Cook botched a chance at first slip.

White moved elegantly on to 60 before he fell lbw to McCoubrey. Taylor was partnered to the close by Lehmann who was as dazzling as the evening sunshine. His unbeaten 26 came off 37 balls compared to Taylor's equally valuable 31 from 121 balls.