Yorkshire robbed of top spot

Darren Gough took three wickets to leave Lancashire on the brink © Getty Images

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Yorkshire Carnegie were robbed by rain of a home tie in the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals, after appearing certain to beat Lancashire Lightning until a downpour put paid to their chances at Headingley.

The hosts bowled their Roses rivals out for only 89 in today’s final round of qualifying fixtures - and after 4.5 overs of their reply, were storming to a likely landslide victory on 34 without loss when the weather intervened.

Yorkshire were a full 30 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis prescribed par score of four, and had already far exceeded the 10-over cut-off of 11 - which would have been enough to win, with no wickets down.

But because match conditions prescribe those 10 overs of the second innings must be completed to constitute a result, the outcome was a stalemate.

Holders Durham therefore top the north division table, with Yorkshire progressing as runners-up but having to settle for an away tie next month.

Lancashire needed to beat Yorkshire and hope for good news from elsewhere if they were to progress.

But those ambitions quickly began to look far-fetched from the moment stand-in captain Luke Sutton surprisingly chose to bat first under heavy cloud cover in a contest which started late and was initially reduced to 49 overs a side.

The visitors managed to bat only 31.2 overs of their allocation - with Darren Gough (3-17) the most incisive.

Steve Patterson, in his first match of the season after a knee cartilage operation, struck with only his second delivery.

Paul Horton had cover-driven his first for four but then pushed up the line to one that bounced more than expected and had him caught at second slip.

Horton’s opening partner Iain Sutcliffe was also soon minus the assistance of Mal Loye, after Patterson got one to snake back through the number three and take the inside edge for caught behind.

Last man Oliver Newby is cleaned up by Anthony McGrath as Lancashire failed to bat out their overs

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With the ball continuing to nip around off the pitch and through the air under unshifting cloud, Yorkshire could hardly believe their luck at being given the first opportunity to exploit conditions.

Mohammad Yousuf never settled before playing across Bresnan’s swing and nicking a second catch to Gerard Brophy, who was in business again soon afterwards with an outstanding take down the leg-side to see off Francois du Plessis from Gough’s bowling.

Sutcliffe was already gone by then, having had little of the strike in making 16 from 16 overs and then following one from Gough to be caught at slip.

After Steven Croft had poked a catch to square-leg off Richard Pyrah, Sutton needed to bail his team out - with Kyle Hogg for company.

But he could not manage it, driving and missing to be lbw to Pyrah - and Sajid Mahmood followed for a duck, in front and stuck in the crease against Gough.

From 58 for eight, Hogg profited from one early slice of luck - when a chance to first slip was intercepted but not held by Anthony McGrath at second - to flay 25 from only 23 balls.

Hogg eventually holed out to Gough at mid-off off McGrath, ending the biggest stand of the innings.

Lancashire captain Stuart Law missed today’s match, after breaking his right index finger in the nets. He is also doubtful for this week’s LV County Championship Roses fixture.