In an incredibly tense finish, Yorkshire Phoenix lost by two wickets off the very last ball of the match in their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy clash with Durham Dynamos at Riverside on Sunday.

England's Steve Harmison faced the final delivery from Australia's Jason Gillespie with Durham still wanting three for victory and the batsman went for a huge swing at a yorker which found the inside edge and raced for four to fine leg.

It was a cruel blow for Yorkshire who can now virtually say goodbye' to finishing top of the North Conference and making it through to the Lord's final.

They are three points behind leaders Lancashire with only two games remaining but Durham stay very much in the hunt because they are just one point adrift of Lancashire with a game in hand.

In an absorbing contest, the fact that Yorkshire reached 227-4 after being put in to bat was almost entirely due to a remarkable innings from captain Craig White, who started slowly but finished up blazing the ball to all parts while making an unbeaten 101 from 144 balls with 11 boundaries.

Durham, however, were even better served by one of their openers, left-handed Australian Jimmy Maher, who held things together with an undefeated 124 from 138 balls with 14 fours.

There was a shock for Yorkshire before the start when Michael Vaughan withdrew because of soreness to his injured knee from a day fielding against Hampshire 24 hours earlier.

Director of cricket David Byas stressed it was not a serious problem and that Vaughan would play against Middlesex at Southgate on Wednesday.

Another worry for Yorkshire was an injury to Darren Lehmann who batted with a tweaked hamstring. The Australian did not field but Byas said he was confident that Lehmann would be fit for the Middlesex match.

Harmison, working his way back to England fitness after shin trouble, bowled a dynamic opening spell in which he had Matthew Wood caught behind and Michael Lumb caught at backward square leg. In five overs before being rested, Harmison gave away just seven runs, including three wides.

White, meanwhile, settled in steadily and went to his 50 off 118 balls with two fours but he then moved up a gear by slamming five consecutive boundaries, three off Harmison's last three balls.

At one stage he plundered 34 off 11 balls and his second half-century was made off 26 deliveries.

With Tim Bresnan, 47 not out from 42 balls, playing his part to the full, he and White put on an unbroken 111 in 14 overs to take Yorkshire to a more than respectable total.

Gillespie then produced his most lethal spell since joining Yorkshire, bowling Jon Lewis and trapping Gordon Muchall with consecutive balls before removing Gary Pratt to leave Durham reeling on 49-3.

Mitch Claydon, who replaced Vaughan, also bowled sharply to get two important wickets but he was responsible for five no-balls which resulted in free hits, one being driven for a straight six by Ottis Gibson. It was this unnecessary gift which cost Yorkshire the match.

At 208-7, Durham wanted 20 from three overs but Wood brilliantly ran out Callum Thorp to heighten the tension before Maher and Harmison managed to scrape in.