Craig White warmed up for the Ashes series with his sharpest bowling of the season to help Yorkshire Phoenix beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks by 16 runs in the Norwich Union League at Headingley yesterday.

White claimed three wickets for 30 runs off his nine overs and appeared untroubled by the back problems which caused him to miss the two Tests against Pakistan and the one-day triangular tournament.

It was important for White to do well because today's Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final match against Gloucestershire at Headingley was his last competitive cricket before the first Test at Edgbaston on Thursday week.

Yorkshire's win brought an end to a run of three consecutive defeats for Phoenix and eased fears of relegation from division one but it left Steelbacks still searching for their first point after five games.

Although both White and Chris Silverwood turned in excellent spells, Matthew Hoggard could not get into the groove and Northamptonshire were looking favourites at 165 for four with 40 required off the last five overs.

But then Silverwood grabbed two wickets in one over and Northants went to pieces, ending on 188 for nine.

Replying to Yorkshire's 204 for six, Northamptonshire lost Mal Loye to a legside catch by Richard Blakey before he had scored, but Australian Mike Hussey rode his luck in a 52 stand with Russell Warren.

He was put down on five by Michael Lumb at square leg and at first slip by White on 13 but when he had reached 32 he nibbled at the England all-rounder to give Blakey the second of his four catches.

Silverwood, a late choice in Yorkshire's side after recovering from a groin injury, conceded only 13 runs in his first seven overs, but Hoggard was far less accurate and 17 runs from his first two overs caused him to be temporarily removed from the attack.

Hoggard did, however, return later to get rid of Northamptonshire's two heaviest scorers, bowling Warren for 54 off 86 balls with four boundaries when the batsman had a heave and later getting Alec Swann caught at backward point by White, also for 54, off 65 balls with three fours and a six.

It was sweet revenge for Hoggard after Swann had struck him high over long on and into the crowd but Hoggard was never at his best and it was a mystery why Gavin Hamilton was not used at all.

Put in to bat, Yorkshire were given a cracking start by David Byas and Lumb with 44 coming from the first seven overs against Darren Cousins and Lesroy Weekes who joined Northants after being refused a contract by Yorkshire at the end of last season.

But off-spinner Jason Brown replaced Weekes and immediately had Yorkshire in trouble with three wickets for 11 runs in his first six overs.

Byas managed to weather the storm and completed his second consecutive half-century before he tried to blast Tony Penberthy over mid-wicket and lost his off-stump for 52 from 93 balls with seven fours.

Gary Fellows and Hamilton both made useful runs in the middle order but at 155 for six after 40 overs, Yorkshire were struggling to make a modest total and it took unbroken 49 stand for the seventh wicket between Blakey and Silverwood to see them to respectability, Silverwood smacking both Paul Taylor and Cousins for sixes on his way to an unbeaten 27 from 20 balls while Blakey made 26 not out from 27 deliveries.

Updated: 13:51 Monday, June 25, 2001