YORKSHIRE Phoenix watched on powerless as Nottinghamshire Outlaws beat Somerset Sabres at Taunton by 34 runs to steal promotion from the Tykes in the totesport League.

Had Somerset won last night, then Yorkshire would have kept hold of the third promotion place, but it went instead to Nottinghamshire who leapfrogged above them in the final table.

Yorkshire's director of cricket David Byas said he was bitterly disappointed that his side had not made it but he had no complaints.

"This is the way that things can go if you leave your fate in someone else's hands," he said."If we had won enough matches we would not have had to rely on others and we have just got to take it on the chin.

"It all adds up to a failed season as far as results are concerned but there have been positives as well as negatives to come out of it and it has provided a huge learning curve for some of the youngsters."

Yorkshire were travelling to Taunton today for tomorrow's last away championship match of the season and 19-year-old left-arm spinner David Wainwright, from Pontefract, could become the latest youngster to be blooded.

Wainwright comes into the squad in place of 18-year-old Mark Lawson who took five wickets in the first innings against Durham at Scarborough last week but then jarred his knee.

"Unfortunately, the injury has not responded to treatment and we did not want to risk taking Mark to Taunton and then finding him unfit to play if required," said Byas.

"Wainwright has performed splendidly for the Second XI this season and thoroughly deserves to be included."

Chris Silverwood suffered a fresh ankle injury while testing his fitness with the second team last week and is now out of action for the remainder of the season.

Yorkshire (v Somerset) from: Wood, Jaques, Sayers, Pyrah, Lumb, Dawood, Dawson, Bresnan, Hoggard, Kirby, Blain, Wainwright.

Updated: 10:47 Thursday, September 09, 2004