Michael Bevan, who in 1997 was replaced as Yorkshire's overseas player by his Australian colleague Darren Lehmann, battered his former county with a fast and furious 89 not out at Arundel yesterday as Sussex Sharks raced to 272 for six.

It was the second highest score of the season in the National League and far too high for Yorkshire Pheonix, who were bowled out for 202 to leave them facing the threat of slipping into one of the three relegation spots in Division One.

Lehmann responded by exactly matching Bevan's score but he was never able to put Yorkshire in a winning position.

Phoenix thought they may be consumed by fire during Saturday night when the hotel fire alarm twice sounded off - once at 3.30am - but in the end it was Sussex who reduced them to ashes.

As well as being undone by Bevan's brilliance, Phoenix also suffered at the hands of their former pace bowler Mark Robinson and another Yorkshireman in Sheffield-born Will House.

Sussex's commanding total was the biggest they have ever made in this form of cricket and Yorkshire's response on their first visit to the charming ground was as weak as one would expect from a dispirited team which have now lost six of their last eight matches in all competitions.

Michael Vaughan had to drop out because of a sprained ankle but his absence could not excuse a poor batting performance.

Sussex, who won the toss, were given a rousing start by Chris Adams and Richard Montgomerie who never allowed the Yorkshire bowlers to settle, Montgomerie striking Matthew Hoggard for three fours in an over when he switched ends.

Montgomerie had made 44 out of 76 with six scorching boundaries when he flicked Hoggard to David Byas at mid-wicket in only the 14th over and Umer Rashid helped Adams take Sussex into three figures before being lbw sweeping at Ian Fisher whose well controlled flight made him the pick of the bowlers.

Bevan stepped up the assault and three of his eight boundaries arrived in the final over from Hutchison which gave away 18 runs, all but three of them to Bevan whose unbeaten 89 came off 81 deliveries and gave him 420 National League runs this season at an average of 105.

Yorkshire had slipped too far behind for Lehmann to make any significant impression and even his 68 stand in nine overs for the eighth wicket with Sidebottom was in a hopelessly lost cause.

Norwich Union NCL

Sussex Sharks v Yorkshire Phoenix

at Arundel Sussex Sharks (4pts) beat Yorkshire Phoenix (0pts) by 70 runs

Sussex Sharks Won Toss

Sussex Sharks Innings

Adams b Sidebottom 54

Montgomerie c Byas b Hoggard 44

Rashid lbw b Fisher 12

Bevan not out 89

Cottey c Blakey b Middlebrook 11

House b Lehmann 31

Martin-Jenkins run out 5

Wilton not out 3

Extras lb12 w11 23

Total 6 wkts (45 overs) 272

Fall: 1-76 2-106 3-154 4-174 5-232 6-254

Did Not Bat: R J Kirtley, B V Taylor, M A Robinson.

Bowling: Hoggard 9-1-59-1 Hutchison 8-0-49-0 Sidebottom 9-0-36-1 Fisher 9-0-38-1 Middlebrook 7-0-53-1 Lehmann 3-0-25-1

Umpires: N A Mallender and A G T Whitehead

Yorkshire Phoenix Innings

Byas run out 29

Wood lbw b Robinson 21

McGrath lbw b Taylor 1

Lehmann b Kirtley 89

Blakey lbw b House 1

Fellows c Rashid b Robinson 6

Middlebrook b House 5

Fisher lbw b Rashid 4

Sidebottom c Montgomerie b Rashid 21

Hoggard st Wilton b Rashid 1

Hutchison not out 0

Extras lb18 w4 nb2 24

Total (42 overs) 202

Fall: 1-49 2-54 3-80 4-83 5-100 6-116 7-130 8-198 9-202

Bowling: Kirtley 6-0-31-1 Martin-Jenkins 4-0-17-0 Taylor 6-1-18-1 Robinson 9-0-20-2 House 9-0-49-2 Rashid 8-0-49-3