Cricket latest: Captain Gale's century puts Yorkshire in control

Essex closed on 159 for five which meant they still required a further 208 to avoid the possibility of the follow-on and they have a lot of hard work in front of them if they are to prevent Yorkshire from strengthening their position at the top of the First Division table.

Billy Godleman and Alastair Cook began the Essex reply and they appeared in little difficulty against some rather erratic new ball bowling from West Indian Tino Best and Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

But a double bowling change by Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale paid immediate dividends as Cook was lbw to Steven Patterson's second ball and Cook suffered a similar fate off the final ball of leg-spinner Adil Rashid's first over.

Essex were 32 for three at tea and Best returned straight after the interval for John Maunders to slash his second ball to Richard Pyrah at backward point.

Jaik Mickleburgh and Mark Pettini began to get Essex out of their difficulties but at 74 for four in 24 overs Gale called up Hannon-Dalby again and Mickleburgh leaned into his sixth delivery to become the third lbw victim of the innings so far.

A stand of 61 between Pettini and James Foster was brought to an end in dramatic fashion by Best who plucked Pettini's off-stump out of the ground.

Yorkshire began the day on 313 for three and when their innings eventually closed it had overtaken their previous best in a home match against Essex of 512 for nine declared at Sheffield's Bramall Lane in 1928.

Anthony McGrath (112) and Gale (89) resumed their fourth wicket stand of 163 but McGrath failed to add to his second consecutive century, being lbw to David Masters in the first over.

Gale never wavered on his way to a faultless century off 168 balls with 14 fours and a six and partnered by Jonny Bairstow he guided Yorkshire to 354 for four and a fourth batting bonus point but at 370 for four in 110 overs they still missed out on a fifth point.

The fifth wicket pair put on 76 in 17 overs before Gale was neatly stumped by Foster for 135 to bring left-arm spinner Tim Phillips his 100th dismissal in first-class cricket.

Yorkshire were able to press on to a formidable score through well constructed half-centuries from Bairstow, whose 62 came off 112 balls with 11 fours, and Pyrah, who was last out for 61 from just 73 deliveries with six fours and a six.

All five of Essex's bowlers had the consolation of picking up at least one wicket, Chris Wright enjoying the best return of three for 97 but Ryan ten Doeschate also worked hard for his three for 117.