Yorkshire Phoenix maintained their strong push for promotion in the totesport League by gaining a comfortable victory by 60 runs over Scottish Saltires at Headingley yesterday to record their fourth win from five matches.

Although Saltires were well beaten in the end, Yorkshire were forced to treat them with respect following their shock win over Warwickshire the previous day.

The large Bank Holiday crowd were quite happy that Scotland's star performer emerged to be former Yorkshire favourite Gavin Hamilton, the game's top scorer with a well-struck 60 off 74 balls.

Hamilton is on loan from Durham for six matches and although he does not bowl these days because of a recurrence of the problem which earlier blighted his career, he remains a more than useful batsman.

The only time Yorkshire were in any difficulties came at the start of the match when they dipped to 15 for two after being put in to bat but they quickly recovered to finish on a respectable 214.

Paul Hoffmann and Yasir Arafat, Scotland's opening pair of bowlers, impressed with swing and movement off the pitch and Matthew Wood was out to a beauty from Hoffmann.

Ian Harvey departed in the next over, dragging Arafat to mid-on, but the left-handed combination of Phil Jaques and Michael Lumb soon took control.

Lumb was in particularly good form, but after 69 had been added in 15 overs he was once again out when appearing well set.

Both batsmen hesitated over a single and Lumb, the non-striker, could not beat Craig Wright's direct throw on the stumps as he attempted to regain his crease.

Two off-drives by Jaques took him to 48 but he missed out on his half-century because he went down on one knee to try to hit Ryan Watson over mid-wicket and was bowled after facing 54 balls.

Craig White drove his first ball for four and also smacked two legside sixes on his way to 39 but Yorkshire's biggest innings came from Anthony McGrath who is in the form of his life and seeing the ball like a football at the moment.

McGrath had his moments of fortune - he was dropped at mid-off on 26 and again off a skier later in his innings, but when he holed out to long on he had knocked up 57 from 69 balls, with four fours and a six, in his highest score in the competition this season.

Yorkshire lost wickets, their last two to run outs, as they helped themselves to 75 off the last ten overs, but it was a commendable effort by Saltires' bowlers.

Saltires were pegged back at the start of their reply by accurate bowling from Deon Kruis who accounted for openers Douglas Lockhart and Fraser Watts.

The South African bowled nine consecutive overs in which he gave away only 15 runs for his two wickets and he was generously applauded when he took his sweater and walked down to third man.

With the rest of Yorkshire's attack maintaining a tight grip the task became much too difficult for Saltires, despite some profitable straight drives from Hamilton who was bowled taking a wild swing at White.