After Sussex batted out the whole of the fourth day to end on 397-9, stumps were called an hour before the scheduled close of play with a positive result unlikely.

The star man for Yorkshire on the final day was Adil Rashid who had figures of 7-136 in the hosts' second innings.

Four points separated the sides at the start of the match and with Yorkshire gaining full bonus points and Sussex managing the four they needed to send Kent down, the season was ended satisfactorily.

Said Moxon: "on Wednesday night it was pretty bleak, but I've no praise high enough for the lads.

"It started with (Tim) Bresnan and Rashid with the bat as we got a bit of momentum.

"then the Rashid and (David) Wainwright partnership was just out of this world, given the pressure we were under.

"To play like that was an unbelievable achievement. With the pressure David was under it was an outstanding performance.

"To bat like he did and then to take those three wickets for nine runs when we needed them was fantastic.

"It shows the character of the lad after not playing much first-team cricket this year, to come in and perform like that – no praise is high enough.

"then Matthew Hoggard did well to get us up to 400 after being 84-6."

Having batted their way out of immediate trouble, Yorkshire needed the three bowling bonus points to ensure their safety and they duly delivered.

"We followed that up with some disciplined bowling in Sussex's first innings and we knew we needed those three bonus bowling points," said Moxon.

"The intensity of our cricket in the field was again worthy of credit and we ended up getting the points that we needed.

"Hopefully that will stand us in good stead for the future."

Murray Goodwin, who hit his sixth first class century of the year and Michael Yardy had started the fourth day on 60 and 15 respectively as Sussex resumed on 118-2.

It took 12.3 overs for Yorkshire to make the first breakthrough, captain-elect Yardy turning Rashid to short-leg for Andrew Gale to take the catch with his score on 72.

That brought Matt Prior to the crease, but his stay was short as he sliced Rashid in the air to Lyth at point for seven.

Chris Adams, in his last match as Sussex captain, arrived at the crease to a standing ovation and had scored 35 when caught by Steve Patterson at mid-off from a Rashid delivery.

Luke Wright joined Goodwin in the middle, but Rashid struck for his fourth wicket when he trapped the former lbw for nine.

It was 282-6 when Goodwin brought up his hundred, sweeping Jacques Rudolph for a single.

Rashid got Goodwin's wicket, when Rudolph brilliantly plucked the ball out of the air one-handed at slip.

Wainwright had Ollie Rayner caught by wicket-keeper Gerard Brophy for 22 in the penultimate over before tea.

Robin Martin-Jenkins brought up his half-century with a boundary – his sixth, but Rashid returned to bowl from the Cromwell Road end and took five balls to get him lbw for 56.