YORKSHIRE'S latest overseas batsman went from a Jaques to a King on his debut for Phoenix in their totesport League match against Sussex Sharks at Headingley yesterday.

Australian left-hander Phil Jaques thrashed his way to a faultless 105 as Yorkshire won a thrilling match by five wickets with just four balls to spare to register their third consecutive victory.

Jaques, who hit 78 on his Championship debut last week, hammered nine fours and three big sixes off the 87 balls he received and he provided Yorkshire with exactly the impetus they needed to overhaul Sussex's big score of 267 for nine.

Coming in at 64 for two in the 14th over with a lot of work still to be done it looked as if Jaques would still be there when the winning runs were hit but with just seven balls remaining he pushed a delivery from James Kirtley straight to Murray Goodwin at mid-wicket to return to the pavilion to a standing ovation.

Jaques was particularly strong on the legside, pulling Kirtley high over square leg for six and clearing the rope off wily spinner Mushtaq Ahmed those nine overs gave away only 37 runs.

Craig White got the Yorkshire reply off to a good start with three fours and a six in his 28 before driving at Mohammad Akram and losing his off-stump and after Matthew Wood had spent 14 overs putting together eight he got an inside edge of Jason Lewry to be caught behind.

The innings was steadied by the powerful Michael Lumb and Jaques and the two left-handers had added 60 in 11 overs when Lumb responded to his partner's call for a second run and could not beat Lewry's direct hit on the stumps.

Lumb's 43 contained six fours and a six and Jaques then found a reliable ally in Anthony McGrath as the pair kept Yorkshire in contention with a century stand in 15 overs. There was a piece of good luck for McGrath, however, who was only five when he drove Robin Martin-Jenkins straight to Akram at deep mid-off but the simple catch was grassed.

McGrath was caught at mid-on for 42 the ball after striking Lewry for six over square leg but with 37 required off five overs, Yorkshire still had a long way to go.

Ian Harvey joined his fellow Australian and with runs being taken at every opportunity Yorkshire began to look the likely winners, particularly when Kirtley conceded 11 runs and then Martin-Jenkins 14 from the 38th over during which Jaques went to his century in the grand manner by planting a legside full toss for six.

Jaques dismissal brought in Tim Bresnan and it was he who drove the winning boundary in the final over from Lewry.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat first on an excellent pitch, Sussex seemed set for a much bigger score at 233 for four in the 40th over but they then lost their nerve as five wickets went down for the addition of 34 runs.

They included an unusual 'hat-trick' when Martin-Jenkins was yorked by Harvey and then Tim Ambrose and Lewry were run out off the next two deliveries.

It became four wickets in five balls in the following over, skipper Chris Adams falling lbw to Nick Thornicroft for 56 from 48 balls with three fours and two sixes.

Yorkshire had also taken some punishment earlier in the innings from Matt Prior and Murray Goodwin who each rattled up half centuries and put on 106 together for the second wicket.

Prior finally swept McGrath - Yorkshire's steadiest bowler apart from one costly over - to Lumb at backward square leg for 72 from 75 deliveries with seven fours and two sixes while Goodwin knocked up 64 from 72 balls with six fours and a six before clipping Richard Dawson to Harvey at mid-on.

Thornicroft made his seasonal debut after Chris Silverwood failed a fitness test on an ankle injury but he is expected to return for Wednesday's Championship game against Nottinghamshire at Headingley.

Updated: 10:12 Monday, May 17, 2004