Chris Elstub, playing his first match of the season, grabbed four for 25 to earn Yorkshire Phoenix an easy win by 67 runs over Surrey Lions yesterday in the Norwich Union League.

They were also the first wickets the 20-year-old Spen Victoria seamer has taken in the competition because last season he took part in just two games without claiming a dismissal.

Elstub is a member of the Bradford and Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence and was not available for Yorkshire in the first part of the season.

Yorkshire strolled to victory with five overs remaining and were without their England duo of Darren Gough and Craig White, while Surrey could not raise their game despite Mark Ramprakash and Ian Ward returning from the Test match.

The win further eased Yorkshire's relegation worries, but Surrey now seem certain to make the drop after registering only one win from their nine outings.

Ward and Nadeem Shahid got Surrey off to a promising start as they chased a 231 target, but when Elstub took over from 16-year-old Tim Bresnan they were quickly in trouble, and never regained their poise.

Elstub began by bowling Shahid high up the stumps and four balls later he trapped Ward lbw to get rid of both openers in the same over and make Surrey 34 for two.

Then Matthew Hoggard, who warmed up well in his first match since suffering a foot injury, had dangerman Alistair Brown caught before he had scored by Richard Blakey, the wicketkeeper flinging himself far to his left.

During his spell, however, Hoggard felt further soreness in his foot and is not fit enough to play in the Roses match at Headingley tomorrow, Yorkshire finalising their squad later today.

Ramprakash and Ben Hollioake threatened a recovery, but at 62 Elstub unleashed a swinging delivery which completely beat Hollioake and knocked back his off-stump.

Elstub was rested after taking three for 22 in six overs, but he returned to account for last man Ed Giddins, and his final figures were the second best by a Yorkshire bowler this season.

Yorkshire were on high alert in the field and their former off-spinner Gareth Batty was run out when Ramprakash drove deep into the covers and went for a second run, but Matthew Wood threw the ball to Gary Fellows, who in turn hit the middle stump with Batty still out of his ground.

Jon Batty and Martin Bicknell did not last long, but Ramprakash was in a determined mood, and he and Saqlain Mushtaq worked hard to add 58 in 11 overs for the eighth wicket before Ramprakash rather tamely cut Darren Lehmann to Bresnan at backward point and was out for 58 from 81 balls, including four boundaries.

Saqlain was unbeaten on 38, but neither Carl Greenidge nor Giddins was able to give him any serious support.

Winning the toss, Yorkshire were given an excellent start by Hamilton and Matthew Wood, who rattled up 94 for the first wicket before Wood was deceived by Greenidge's extra bounce and gave a catch behind the stumps for 47 from 61 balls with six fours.

Anthony McGrath batted well for his 31, but in aiming a drive at a wide ball from Bicknell he drove a catch to Brown at mid-off after adding 64 for the second wicket with Hamilton.

The left-hander had reached his joint career-best score of 57 off 100 balls with six fours and a six when he looked aggrieved to be given out lbw to Bicknell.

Lehmann looked tired after his recent bouts of heavy scoring and made relatively subdued progress to 22 from ten overs before sacrificing his wicket in a run mix-up with David Byas, who boosted Yorkshire's total with an aggressive 30 from just 19 balls with four fours and a six.