Yorkshire Phoenix blooded yet another of their budding fast bowlers against Kent Spitfires at Headingley but this time there was to be no fairy story ending.

They were beaten by four wickets with an over to spare in Division One of the Norwich Union League.

With England calls and injuries taking their toll, Yorkshire brought in Castleford-born Tim Bresnan who at 16 years and 102 days was the second youngest player ever to represent the county.

The only younger one was Paul Jarvis, who was 16 years and 62 days on his first appearance in the Sunday League at Headingley 20 years ago.

Bresnan bowled four tidy overs in which he conceded just 15 runs but it was only shortly before the start of the game that he was able to sign his registration forms and play.

Each county are only allowed 30 registered players and when Yorkshire signed Steven Kirby last week it took them up to their maximum.

But Yorkshire chief executive Chris Hassell remembered that extra registrations are allowed to compensate for England contracted players, so he was able to go on the field during the pre-match warm-up and obtain Bresnan's signature.

Whether Yorkshire would have been better off playing Kirby following his seven for 30 the previous day is another matter but they wanted to keep him fresh for a possible inclusion in the side for the Championship match with Somerset at Bath starting on Wednesday.

Chasing a 190 target, Kent lost James Hockley and Ed Smith in Gavin Hamilton's first two overs but opener David Fulton always kept Kent in control with a career-best 82.

Fulton stayed in charge until the penultimate over when he was lbw to Paul Hutchison.

The ball before his dismissal, Kent skipper Matthew Fleming was dropped on the cover boundary by Michael Lumb but by then it was too late to matter and it was Fleming who blasted the winning runs.

Craig White continued his recovery to full fitness with nine tight overs in which he got Matthew Walker caught behind with one which left him late and Darren Lehmann also proved difficult to get away, but Fulton's careful approach prevented any panic.

Yorkshire's innings would been in a sorry state without a 108-stand between left-handers Lumb and Vic Craven who came together with their side in trouble on 24 for 3.

Just before being joined by Craven, Lumb picked up a ball from Martin Saggers which he hit for a big six backward of square leg.

Lumb had moved on confidently to 66 when he played rather tamely outside off-stump at Ben Trott and was caught behind after receiving 91 deliveries, striking six fours and a six.

With Lumb gone, Craven was more or less on his own as no-one else managed an innings of any substance but he, too, eventually fell victim to the gentle medium pace of Walker who ended with a career-best 4 for 24. Craven had received 88 deliveries and hit six fours.

Gary Fellows, Richard Blakey and Hamilton all succumbed to Walker before Craven departed but Bresnan showed he could handle the bat by seeing out the last four overs with James Middlebrook.

It was a pretty poor show by Yorkshire and hearts sank when Lehmann strode down the pitch to Ben Trott, only to steer him straight into the hands of Fulton at slip.

Updated: 12:24 Monday, June 11, 2001