Silverwood made an explosive start

But, although totemic skipper Darren Lehmann kept the runs flowing through the middle of the innings, the visitors were unable to maintain their momentum.

Lehmann and Richard Blakey added 75 for the seventh wicket, but both men fell in the 48th over attempting to make late runs off Andrew Clarke.

Lehmann's dismissal, for a 77-ball 59, came courtesy of a spectacular diving catch by Aftab Habib at deep point after a top-edged cut off Clarke.

And Blakey's innings of 34 was brought to an end when he chipped a yorker to cover.

Michael Vaughan had kept the score ticking with 32 from 35 deliveries.

And the England batsman looked in fine form before wicketkeeper Flower snatched an attempted late cut almost from the edge of his bat off Paul Grayson.

Slow left-armer Grayson was part of a mid-innings stranglehold, conceding just 35 runs for that sole wicket.

And Dakin enhanced his figures by dismissing Anthony McGrath and Gary Fellows in the space of three balls in the 30th over.

After conceding 20 runs from his first three overs he finished with three for 47.

Essex: R C Irani (Capt), A P Grayson, A J Clarke, A P Cowan, J M Dakin, A Flower (Wkt), A Habib, N Hussain, J D Middlebrook, D D J Robinson, J P Stephenson.

Yorkshire: M J Wood, M Vaughan, C Silverwood, C White, D S Lehmann (Capt) A McGrath, G M Fellows, R J Blakey (Wkt), M Hoggard, A K D Gray, T T Bresnan.