Michael Vaughan at last found the sort of batting form he has been searching for as he completed his maiden totesport League century for Yorkshire Phoenix against Kent Spitfires at Headingley on Sunday.

The England captain's unbeaten 116 was exactly what Vaughan needed ahead of the second Ashes Test which starts at Edgbaston on Thursday but it could not prevent Yorkshire from losing the match by five wickets with four balls left.

Yorkshire have now been beaten in their last four games and unless they recover quickly promotion will be out of reach.

Vaughan so dominated the crease on a slow damp pitch that he made his runs out of 216-6, Michael Lumb the next highest scorer with 28.

Vaughan, playing in his 99th Sunday League match, easily surpassed his previous best score of 90 against Surrey at Headingley two years ago.

His century came off 120 balls with ten fours and at the close of the innings he had been batting for two-and-half hours, receiving a total of 129 deliveries and striking 11 boundaries.

Yorkshire were forced into making two late changes for the match with Ian Harvey having to drop out with a bruised thumb and Richard Dawson having a swollen elbow. They were replaced by Richard Pyrah and left-arm spinner David Wainwright who was making his League debut.

With opening bowler Simon Cook having captain Craig White caught at third slip and getting Phil Jaques to chip a simple catch to mid-off, Vaughan had to proceed with great caution during a 60-stand in 12 overs with Lumb, who looked as if a fifth consecutive one-day half-century was on until he was stumped advancing on off-spinner James Tredwell.

Anthony McGrath patted back a catch to Tredwell before Vaughan completed his 50 out of 112-4. With Richard Pyrah and Ismail Dawood both departing soon after, it was left to Vaughan and Tim Bresnan to steer Yorkshire to a competitive total.

Vaughan's knock was also the highest by a Yorkshire batsman this season, beating Matthew Wood's 111 in the opening match against Surrey Lions at The Oval.

Even though Yorkshire prevented Kent from breaking loose early on they never put their batsmen under any real pressure and they got home at a canter.

It was a good day for Vaughan with the ball too, because he took two wickets.

Said Vaughan:"From a personal point of view things could not have gone much better for me today but I was still disappointed that Yorkshire lost."

Updated: 10:42 Monday, August 01, 2005