Yorkshire Phoenix ran out of steam at the end of a tight totesport League game at Grace Road yesterday when they lost by seven wickets to Leicestershire Foxes with 17 balls remaining.

It was Yorkshire's second defeat in the competition this season but they hold on to the third promotion place in the table.

Yorkshire were without Phil Jaques (hamstring injury) and Matthew Hoggard (ankle), but they were still outsmarted on a slow pitch.

Tight bowling restricted Yorkshire to 172-9 but their own attack also showed great accuracy.

When Leicestershire were 132-3 with only seven overs remaining they still required a further 41 runs.

Skipper Craig White gambled in taking off Anthony McGrath and bringing on off-spinner Richard Dawson for a second stint. It didn't work. Indian left-hander Dinesh Mongia twice found the boundary in an over which cost 13 runs.

Dewsbury-born John Sadler tortured his former county by slapping consecutive fours through the covers off Tim Bresnan, who conceded 15 runs in the 42nd over as Leicestershire levelled the scores. Sadler then hit the winning boundary.

Fourth-wicket pair Mongia and Sadler added 58 off only 37 deliveries.

Yorkshire's Australian trialist Adam Warren bowled extremely well in his first competitive match, taking one for 35.

He had opener Darren Maddy smartly stumped by Ismail Dawood after Maddy had put on 46 with young left-hander Tom New, who calmly hit 47 before being bowled by McGrath.

White, Yorkshire's leading wicket-taker, was unable to bowl because of a sore knee.

After wining the toss, Yorkshire faced some of the tightest bowling they have come up against in the competition in a long while.

Ian Harvey and Matthew Wood scored 31 in nine overs before Harvey drilled back a catch to Ottis Gibson and Wood was caught behind in the next over.

McGrath and Michael Lumb had put on 67 from 20 overs when McGrath had his middle stump removed for 30 attempting a big hit.

Richard Pyrah, coming in for his first match of the season in place of Jaques, got into double figures before being caught on the cover boundary. White was bowled first delivery by left-arm spinner Mongia.

Lumb made his second 50 of the season, off 89 balls, and remained unbeaten with 66 from 107 deliveries with five handsome boundaries.

Updated: 10:38 Monday, June 13, 2005