Fans salute a job well done at Headingley

All that counted for those who had gathered to give Yorkshire a generous send-off on the final day of the season was that the club were champions of England once more. Granted, they would have liked to have seen them sign-off with a win, but they were mainly there to show their appreciation.

From April to September, Yorkshire have been kings, and they were suitably applauded.

No sooner had the game finished than a crowd of around 2,000 stayed behind to see the County Championship trophy re-presented, exactly two weeks after Yorkshire won it in their previous match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Spectators gathered in front of the North East Stand, congratulations and camera phones at the ready, as club president Dickie Bird handed over the trophy to club captain Andrew Gale.

As is his wont, Dickie looked tearful, and although it would be an exaggeration to say there was not a dry eye in the house, there were certainly no happier ones than on the faces of the Headingley faithful, who had waited 13 years to see the pennant return.

As afternoon rolled into early evening, and with the ground bathed in lovely sunlight and shadow, a lap of honour was conducted and handshakes exchanged between players and supporters, the latter acknowledging a job well done.

And what a job...

The league table shows that Yorkshire finished with 255 points from 16 matches, 17 points ahead of second-placed Warwickshire, whom they twice thrashed by an innings.

Yorkshire won eight, drew seven and lost only one of their fixtures. Victory here would have seen them equal the record points haul since the move to two-divisional cricket in 2000, the 266 by Somerset in Division Two in 2007, while it would have been a record for Division One.

As it is, Yorkshire’s tally is the third-highest in Division One and the fifth-highest overall, emphasising their dominance in a year in which they gave their loyal supporters some memories to treasure.