Du Preez heroics in vain

Yorkshire Carnegie held on for a one-run victory despite a superb unbeaten century from Leicestershire Foxes’ Dillon Du Preez in the NatWest Pro40 League clash at Headingley Carnegie.

The Foxes finished just one run short of Yorkshire Carnegie’s 303 for four in a remarkable finish.

Leicestershire looked down and out when South African Du Preez came to the crease at 129 for five, but he raced to his career-best one-day score of 107 with some astonishing hitting which brought him nine fours and seven sixes off the 65 balls he faced.

He put on 69 in six overs for the sixth wicket with Tom Smith and then 94 in 11 overs with Claude Henderson as the Foxes homed in on their high target.

The real drama began when Leicestershire were 216 for six with 88 wanted off 10 overs, and the visitors were clear favourites at 286 for six with just 18 required from two overs.

Six runs came off Darren Gough’s first three balls but the former England paceman then hit Henderson’s stumps when he took a big heave, the batsman having contributed 30 with two fours and a six.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was entrusted with the last over when 12 were needed and Du Preez got his first ball away for four to reach his century off 61 balls.

Jacques Rudolph scored a ton but Yorks had to cling on for victory against Leicestershire

Jignar Naik managed a single off the penultimate ball, leaving Du Preez needing to hit a six to win the match, and although he middled the ball it only went for four to long on.

Yorkshire, who won the toss, made a dream start with a 170-run opening stand between Jacques Rudolph and Andrew Gale.

It was Gale who mainly tore into the bowling in the early stages, driving Sam Cliff over midwicket and also lashing seven fours as he galloped to his half-century off 40 balls while Rudolph was compiling 20.

The partnership raced into three figures in the 16th over and after Rudolph had reverse swept Naik for four he reached his own fifty from 59 deliveries with six fours.

Another reverse sweep by Rudolph, this time for six off Henderson, was followed by an extra-cover boundary to take the stand to 150, and the South African further boosted the total when he lashed consecutive balls from James Allenby for a six and two fours.

Gale cruised past his previous best one-day score of 70 not out and was in sight of his maiden century when there was hesitation over a single and he was run out for 89 from 82 balls with 11 fours and a six.

It was Yorkshire’s highest opening stand in the competition since Martyn Moxon and Ashley Metcalfe put on 171 against Sussex at Middlesbrough in 1991.

Naved-ul-Hasan was soon bowled by Smith but there was no stopping Rudolph who cruised to his century off 85 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.

Chris Taylor helped him add 58 in seven overs before Allenby had him caught at midwicket, and Rudolph’s great knock came to a close on 120 when he drove the same bowler to long-on and was caught by Garnett Kruger. He had faced 97 balls and belted 11 fours and four sixes.

Gerard Brophy (32) and Tim Bresnan (21) made sure the Yorkshire innings did not lose its impetus by racking up an unbroken 58 off the last five overs but the home side’s big total proved to be only just big enough.