PHIL Jaques last weekend joined fellow Australian Matthew Elliott in racking up a century on his Yorkshire debut in the National League, his stunning 105 seeing Phoenix home by five wickets against Sussex Sharks at Headingley.

But who, if anyone, will become the first overseas player to score a century on his Championship debut for the county?

Several have got close to the milestone only to run out of steam - or partners - as they have approached the finishing line, just as Jaques himself did a couple of days before his Phoenix triumph.

Jaques, the temporary replacement for Darren Lehmann, made his Championship debut against Hampshire and the Sydney-born left-hander was the only one to look comfortable in the second innings as Yorkshire slid to defeat.

Unfortunately for Jaques, who came in at 79-2, he could find no-one to stick with him at the other end and when last man Matthew Hoggard joined him he had to sacrifice patience for power, swatting Dimitri Mascarenhas for six to go to 78 before miscuing the next ball to extra cover.

Australian star Ian Harvey, had also seen the prospect of three figures melt away on his Championship debut against Essex in the first match of the season. The former Gloucestershire all-rounder made it to 95 with a couple of wickets still to fall but then fell lbw to Graham Napier.

Last summer, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming came even closer to hitting the target, making it to 98 against Somerset at Taunton before he attempted to hit Ian Blackwell out of the ground and only succeeded in giving a boundary catch.

Then, as the season drew to a close, Australian Damien Martyn suffered the cruellest luck of all, reaching 87 against Somerset, this time at Headingley, before hooking a ball into his face and having to retire hurt. He recovered in time for the final match against Gloucestershire and forced his way into the record books with a sensational 238.

Two years ago, Elliott performed wonders in his short stay when his achievements included helping Yorkshire to lift the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy with a brilliant 128 not out also against Somerset in the Lord's final and also taking a century off Leicestershire on his National League debut.

But a century on his first Championship outing narrowly eluded him as he was out for 83 in the Roses match at Old Trafford, pinned lbw by James Anderson, who was just starting to make a name for himself.

Lehmann, Yorkshire's most successful long term overseas signing by a mile, could manage just 54 on his debut against Glamorgan, following up with 62 and 43 at Edgbaston before powering his way to a majestic 177 at Taunton.

Michael Bevan, the first of Yorkshire's classy left-handers from abroad, plundered an unbeaten 113 on his first class debut for the county, but that was against the students of Cambridge University. On his Championship debut against Leicestershire at Grace Road he could only muster 13.

Yorkshire's first overseas signing, the great Sachin Tendulkar, was also hit by the jinx, rapping out 86 against Hampshire at Headingley and then falling lbw to Jon Ayling, while in the following year former West Indies captain Richie Richardson departed for a solitary single against Worcestershire at Bradford.

Updated: 10:21 Saturday, May 22, 2004