Anthony McGrath's second century in three innings in the Friends Provident Trophy could not stop Yorkshire Phoenix from losing by 53 runs to Durham Dynamos at Headingley Carnegie today.

The defeat ended the Tykes' chances of going on to reach the semi-finals.

While McGrath was at the crease, the 4,329 crowd always felt the 267 target could be reached despite a dreadful start.

The early damage was inflicted by Ottis Gibson, who always produces his best against Yorkshire. He fired out the first three batsmen inside nine overs with only 25 scored.

The slide began when Craig White sliced Gibson to Graham Onions at third man and it continued as England captain Michael Vaughan and Jacques Rudolph both perished off consecutive deliveries.

Vaughan was surprised by extra bounce as he attempted to pull and top-edged a simple catch to Kyle Coetzer. Off Gibson's next ball, Rudolph was magnificently caught one-handed down the legside by wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.

The hat-trick was prevented by Younus Khan but the Pakistan Test star departed at 58 when he was caught behind after Onions got a ball to lift off a length.

McGrath pulled Onions for six and when Gibson returned to the attack, the Bradford-born batsman slammed him for three consecutive boundaries.

The fifth-wicket stand had reached 53 in nine overs when Richard Pyrah had a rush of blood against Gareth Breese and was caught at long-on. McGrath added 73 with Tim Bresnan in 14 overs to revive Yorkshire's fortunes.

Bresnan was dropped twice and McGrath once. To rub salt into the wound, McGrath hit 12 runs off effectively one ball from Onions - off-driving a no-ball for six and striking the free-hit straight back past the bowler for four.

After Bresnan fell for 33, Yorkshire wanted 60 off the last six overs.

McGrath reached his century off 101 balls but the end came quickly as the last four wickets crashed in five balls, the England all-rounder being caught at cover for exactly 100.

Winning the toss, Durham lost an early wicket themselves as the athletic Pyrah ran out Di Venuto.

Mustard made 77 before he was bowled sweeping at the leg-spin of Younus Khan, but it was New Zealand Test all-rounder Scott Styris who dished out the punishment in the closing overs, belting Bresnan for 30 in two overs.

With one ball left, Styris was caught on the mid-wicket boundary by McGrath off Darren Gough after facing 85 balls and blasting eight fours and two sixes.