Australian Ian Harvey led Yorkshire's batting feast against Essex at Headingley yesterday which virtually guaranteed that they will scoop up maximum points from their opening championship match of the season.

With Michael Lumb and Darren Lehmann also in tremendous form, Yorkshire sprinted to 408 to give them a first innings lead of 146 and a late collapse left Essex still one run in arrears with only four wickets remaining.

Like some of Yorkshire's previous overseas players, Harvey got close to recording a century on his first championship appearance but he, too, was jinxed, falling lbw to Graham Napier for 95.

Only last summer, New Zealander Stephen Fleming got to 98 on his debut at Taunton before being caught on the boundary, and late in the season Australian Damien Martyn glided to 87 against Somerset at Headingley and then had to retire hurt.

An audacious 53 by Lehmann was followed by Lumb speeding to his 50 by cracking Graham Napier for three boundaries in an over, and when Harvey achieved the same landmark it took him to 6,000 first class runs.

Both batsmen were in their 70s when Lumb drove back a low return catch to James Middlebrook and was out for 76 from 131 balls with 11 fours.

Their stand of 148 in 33 overs was a Yorkshire record for the fifth wicket against Essex.

Silverwood was last out for a meaty 37 from 31 deliveries with six fours and a six.

Essex had no intention of giving in tamely and there was relief when Alistair Cook was caught behind for 52.

But Andy Flower and Aftab Habib defiantly took Essex to within 11 runs of wiping out the arrears before the versatile Lehmann dealt a double blow to remove Andy Flower and Mark Pettini.

There was still time for Silverwood to bang another couple of nails into Essex's coffin, James Foster bagging a pair when he was caught behind and Brant fending off a bouncer to Matthew Wood at second slip.

l Yorkshire Phoenix open up the newly-sponsored totesport League season at Headingley tomorrow against Leicester-shire Foxes, who also suffered relegation from the First Division last summer.

Yorkshire make only one change from the squad of 12 chosen for the current championship match, paceman Tim Bresnan replacing batsman Chris Taylor.