Darren Lehmann curbed his naturally aggressive instincts to guide Yorkshire Phoenix to a hard-earned five-wicket win over Norwich Union League champions Kent Spitfires at Canterbury yesterday.

Chasing a 181 target on a seaming pitch, which made positive batting a risky business, Yorkshire on 64 for four appeared to be losing their dogfight with the Spitfires and it was only the cool head of their captain which saw them on top.

Lehmann cut out his more flamboyant shots and treated every ball on its merits, the result being that he was unbeaten on 69 off 98 deliveries with only four boundaries when the winning runs were hit with 22 balls remaining.

Last week, Lehmann blasted 104 as Yorkshire overcame Somerset Sabres and their 100 per cent record in the competition is some consolation for their terrible start in the Championship.

Yorkshire's innings was a few minutes late in getting under way because the Second Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles band insisted on marching back on the field to finish their routine - and nobody was going to tell them to get off.

The delay may have affected Craig White's concentration because he dragged Martin Saggers' first ball onto his off-stump and when pinch-hitter Richard Dawson and Michael Lumb were sent back in consecutive overs from Ben Trott Yorkshire were 36 for three.

Matthew Wood, a century-maker in each of his last two one-day innings, batted steadily until he had made 27 when he was bowled by a leg-cutter from Mark Ealham, and it required all of Lehmann's skill to stop the collapse from continuing.

He was well supported by Anthony McGrath, who helped him add 57 in 13 overs before Saggers returned to have the Yorkshireman caught behind off his first ball. And then the good work was continued by Gary Fellows in an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 60 during which he outscored his senior partner with a well-struck 35, the runs flowing more easily as Kent began to sniff defeat.

Kent, who won the toss, were in a subdued mood for most of their innings and rarely looked like getting on top of tight bowling after Steven Kirby and Tim Bresnan had each bowled their nine overs off the reel with the new ball.

Kirby, who only came into the side because back injuries forced Ryan Sidebottom and Chris Silverwood to be left out, began by having Matthew Fleming caught at first slip off the first ball of the match, and his final figures of two for 40 would have looked even better if he had not conceded two fours off his last two deliveries.

Bresnan, 17, again showed outstanding promise with two for 27 but White emerged with the best figures of three for 23 after wrapping up the innings with the dismissal of Saggers and Trott with consecutive balls.

Left-hander Matthew Walker top-scored with a cautious 54 from 86 balls with just two fours.

There were only ten boundaries in the entire innings, Andy Symonds smacking five of them in his quickfire 22.