YORK bowler Nick Thornicroft, the forgotten man of Yorkshire cricket, helped save the county from a caning from the Loughborough University students by claiming career-best figures of 6-60 at Headingley Carnegie yesterday.

But in a breathtaking finish it was Steve Patterson who brought Yorkshire a thrilling victory by one run by clean bowling the last two batsmen with the last two possible balls of the match.

It is five years since 22-year-old Thornicroft made his Yorkshire debut and until this game he had played in only six first team matches but he was the Second XI's leading wicket-taker last season.

After the first two days had been spoiled by bad weather, the game developed into an absorbing contest after some tinkering in the morning when Loughborough declared their first innings on 93-3 and Yorkshire forfeited, so setting their opponents a target of 291 in the final two sessions.

Loughborough were soon struggling as Thornicroft had Richard Malcolm lbw in his first over and in his second Ed Foster pulled him to David Wainwright at mid-wicket.

But Loughborough showed their stomach for a fight with a fourth wicket stand of 136 in 30 overs between Surrey's Chris Murtagh and Worcestershire's Will Gifford and when the last 20 overs were called only a further 95 were required.

Thornicroft was immediately brought back and bowled Gifford for 71 off 76 balls with nine fours and a six before having Arun Harinath caught at cover but Murtagh completed a spending maiden first class century off 174 balls with five boundaries.

He then clipped former Loughborough UCCE all-rounder Wainwright to Andrew Gale at mid-wicket, but Loughborough ploughed gamely on, despite Thornicroft picking up two more wickets as the tension heightened.

Ten were required off the final over from Patterson which began with Loughborough on 281-8 from the first four deliveries left Yorkshire staring defeat in the face with just two wanted and two balls remaining.

But Patterson, who had a spell last season with York League side Stamford Bridge, kept his nerve by yorking both Steven Wheeler and last man Tom Parsons to preserve Yorkshire's unbeaten record in first class cricket this season - although this was their first team in name only.

With Gerard Brophy still not fully recovered from severe bruising to his right hand, Simon Guy retains his place behind the stumps for tomorrow's Friends Provident Trophy game against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Yorkshire will wait until shortly before the toss before deciding whether to play fast bowler Deon Kruis who has now recovered from his hamstring strain and is included in the 13-strong squad.

Yorkshire Phoenix from: White, Rudolph, McGrath, Younus Khan, Gale, Rashid, Pyrah, Bresnan, Guy, Gough, Gillespie, Kruis, Ajmal Shahzad.