Yorkshire Phoenix set up new batting records against Somerset Sabres at Taunton yesterday but still squeezed home by only one run in a thrilling start to their Norwich Union League season.

In a match packed with glorious strokeplay, Steffan Jones needed to strike the last ball of the day for four to win it for Somerset but he could only manage to steer to third man for two.

It was a desperately close call for Yorkshire who had thought they were nailed-on favourites to win after rattling up 307 for four with both Matthew Wood and skipper Darren Lehmann hammering faultless centuries.

Never before in the same league match have Yorkshire had two century makers and the pair's stand of 170 in 24 overs was a club record for the fourth wicket. Wood batted throughout the innings for an unbeaten 105 from 126 balls with 11 fours, while Lehmann's 104 was from 74 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.

No praise can be too high for Wood who was making his return after being felled by a ball from Mohammad Ali eight day's earlier at Derby when he had to have nine stitches inserted above his left eye.

In that Benson and Hedges Cup match with Derbyshire, Wood's 115 before retiring hurt brought him his first century in limited overs cricket.

Anthony McGrath helped Wood add valuable late runs as Yorkshire galloped to their third highest total in the competition.

With England's Marcus Trescothick falling lbw in Matthew Hoggard's first over, Yorkshire seemed as if they were heading for an easy victory but Peter Bowler and skipper Jamie Cox got Somerset on terms by adding 112 in 20 overs for the second wicket.

Bowler had just gone to his 50 when he off-drove Craig White to Hoggard but then Cox and Ian Blackwell tore the bowling to shreds.

Cox drove Andy Gray for two mighty sixes on his way to 99 but in trying to go to his century he was stunningly caught by Lehmann off Craig White.

Still Somerset drove on and Blackwell took 18 off an over from White, but the return of Chris Silverwood helped Yorkshire just hold them off.