YORKSHIRE PHOENIX withstood a brutal assault from top Australian strike bowler Glenn McGrath to pull off a remarkable victory by 19 runs against Worcestershire Royals at New Road yesterday in their opening match of the season in the Norwich Union National League.

McGrath, by common assent the greatest fast bowler in the world, began his coloured clothing career in England by sending down six consecutive maidens in which he took the wicket of Craig White, before being rested from the attack.

He later returned to fire out three more shell-shocked batsmen on a helpful pitch to finishing with the amazing analysis of 9-6-9-4.

Yorkshire limped to a final total of 151 for eight but then it was their turn to pile on the pressure and their razor-sharp six-man attack cut their way through the Worcestershire innings with ten balls to spare.

Although Darren Gough was unable to soar to the same heights as McGrath, he still recorded a splendid opening spell of five overs in which he sent down four maidens and gave away just two runs for the wicket of opener Vikram Solanki. Gough had three spells in all and his final figures were 8-4-12-1.

It was Gavin Hamilton and White, however, who did most damage with three wickets apiece while Ryan Sidebottom collected the prize scalp of Graeme Hick when the England man went for an impetuous pull and lobbed a gentle catch to Matthew Hoggard at mid-on.

Put in to bat on a ground which was under water for much of last week, Yorkshire would have have found batting an even bigger struggle but for a determined third wicket stand of 79 in 22 overs between Richard Blakey and Darren Lehmann who struck Hick sweetly over square leg for the only six of the match.

Blakey, relishing his new role in the No 3 spot, scored 27 off 77 balls with three boundaries before being caught trying to force Stuart Lampitt away, and Lehmann looked set for a polished half-century until he played on to Richard Illingworth for 46 off 88 deliveries, also with three fours.

The backbone to the Worcestershire innings came from left-handed opener Paul Pollard who spent 27 overs making 24, most of them with the assistance of a runner after tweaking a hamstring.

But it was the Bradford-born pair of Steve Rhodes and Illingworth who almost shocked Yorkshire with a gallant eighth wicket stand of 43 in 11 overs which edged Worcestershire towards their target.

They wanted 31 off five overs with three wickets in hand and Illingworth then clubbed Hoggard to the boundary but he nibbled at the next ball to give Blakey his fourth catch.

McGrath fell lbw to White without scoring and in the penultimate over he ended the match by clipping Rhodes's bails for a well struck 42 from 63 balls.

England captain Nasser Hussain showed his well-being ahead of this summer's hectic international schedule when starring in Essex Eagles' division two win over Middlesex Crusaders.

Hussain's 60 from 52 deliveries propelled relegated Essex towards a 60-run victory in a match reduced to 23 overs a side at Chelmsford.

Hussain and Danny Law (37) put on 65 in eight overs for the fourth wicket as the visitors reached 143 all out, despite the efforts of Angus Fraser, who took four for 18 in his five overs.