THE North Marine Road crowd might have been forgiven for enjoying mixed emotions as they headed home after this emphatic victory for Yorkshire.
On the one hand, the four points collected by David Byas's side will go a long way towards ensuring First Division cricket in White Rose territory when the National League starts next season.
On the other, this success over a surprisingly uncommitted Essex side leaves Roses rivals Lancashire in pole position to claim the AXA League crown in the final season of the 40-over competition. Talk about divided loyalties!
Throw in Yorkshire's own inept batting performance in last week's floodlit game at Headingley, that presented Lancashire with four crucial points, and outsiders might be wondering if an era of unprecedented transpennine entente cordiale is about to break out.
In truth, though, Essex lost this potentially decisive encounter because, on the day, they were awful. When batting after winning the toss, only Ronnie Irani and, to a lesser extent, Paul Grayson, offered any resistance to a Yorkshire attack that was hardly menacing.
And when Essex set about defending the almost indefensible in the shape of an inadequate total of 129 in 37.3 overs, the bowling lacked cutting edge and the fielding was woeful.
After losing Paul Prichard, caught at the wicket in Chris Silverwood's third over after twice flirting with disaster outside the off stump, Essex never got out of first gear.
Stuart Law, after surviving a straightforward caught-and-bowled chance to Paul Hutchison on nine, added only one more before edging the same bowler to Richard Blakey behind the wicket.
Darren Robinson, giving himself room to cut, was bowled by Richard Stemp and, as Byas allowed his two left-arm spinners the luxury of working in tandem, the uncapped Ian Fisher seized the chance to claim his best figures in the competition, three for 25 from his eight overs.
Danny Law was his first victim, thanks to a Blakey stumping, then Grayson hoisted the youngster to deep midwicket, where he was well caught by Gavin Hamilton. Graham Napier was his third victim as he top-edged an attempted sweep to Byas.
After Irani fell leg before, Ashley Cowan, Barry Hyam and Peter Such went quietly, leaving Yorkshire with a straightforward victory opportunity.
Craig White, re-appearing after almost three months on the sidelines with a back injury, did not tarry long but Michael Vaughan, whose 25 from 46 balls included two fours, teamed up with Matthew Wood and took control until Vaughan appeared to edge a ball from Irani on to his pad to be well caught by Cowan, running in from cover.
Wood then assumed centre stage and confirmed his rich promise with some scintillating strokeplay to all parts of the ground.
He reached an exquisite half-century from 53 balls and, when victory was achieved with 12.3 overs to spare, 44 of his 65 runs had come in boundaries.