Matthew Hoggard marked his inclusion in the Test squad by taking five wickets at Headingley yesterday as York-shire moved to the top of the Cricinfo Championship table with a four wicket win over Northamptonshire.

But Yorkshire had to overcome a few palpatations as they lost six wickets getting the 77 runs they needed to seal victory.

They needed an unbeaten 26 from skipper David Byas and a generous helping of 27 extras to reach their target.

Hoggard's fifth five-wicket haul for Yorkshire in 36 matches was the ideal warm up if England decide to give him a second Test cap against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Hoggard grabbed his wickets in two inspired bursts, but he was not always as dominant as his figures suggest.

Overall, he did not bowl quite so well as his new-ball partner Chris Silverwood who took five wickets in the first innings when Graeme Swann became his 300th victim for Yorkshire.

Silverwood is somewhat unfortunate not to be in the England squad himself.

Largely through Silverwood's efforts on Saturday, Northants followed on 179 runs in arrears.

Resuming at nine without loss yesterday they cruised along to 56 before Hoggard suddenly bagged three wickets in six balls at no cost.

Australian Mike Hussey and Jeff Cook were caught behind of consecutive balls and in his next over Russell Warren was comprehensively bowled.

Opener Mal Loye survived these mishaps and when Michael Vaughan came on he hit his second ball for four to complete his half-century with nine boundaries but the next delivery spat off a length and was taken by Byas at slip.

Alec Swann's middle stump was spectacularly removed by Silver-wood and at lunch Northants were 119 for five.

After the break Graeme Swann pulled Hoggard for six, but was then dropped when Gary Fellows could not hold a return catch.

His stand of 65 with Tony Penberthy was putting Yorkshire under some pressure until Swann was stunningly caught by Matthew Wood leaping to his right at cover point.

Northants remained defiant but they were rocked again as Hoggard bowled David Ripley and John Blain.

Even the last pair proved troublesome and it took a reflex return catch by Silverwood who flung out a left hand to end the innings by dismissing the stubborn Kevin Innes for 40.

Yorkshire went in straight after tea and were soon in bother as Scott Richardson's middle stump was removed by a yorker from Blain who produced a similar ball to send back Wood.

Vaughan clipped Darren Cousins to square leg and White stabbed Blain to third slip, leaving the left-handed combination of Byas and Michael Lumb to calm things down.

Aided by a surfeit of extras (27 in the first 50 runs) they pushed the score on to 73 when Lumb was lbw to Penberthy and two runs later Fellows was bowled by Blain who finished with career-best figures of four for 34.

It came as some relief in the dressing room when Richard Blakey hit the winning run.