Yorkshire slump again

Yorkshire’s Twenty20 Cup campaign came to a miserable end as they slipped to a 37-run defeat against Derbyshire at Headingley Carnegie.

It was a fourth consecutive loss in the Twenty20 Cup for a dispirited Yorkshire side, who not only missed out on a place in the quarter-finals, but failed to secure a place in the top flight of the new P20 tournament next season.

With speculation surrounding Michael Vaughan’s future, he played no part in the game, but Anthony McGrath returned after a whiplash injury.

McGrath, however, was unable to change Yorkshire’s flagging fortunes in what is turning into a dismal season.

Once again it was their batting which crumbled after they had got off to a cracking start as they chased 165 for victory.

Man-of-the-match Jake Needham did most of the damage with his off-breaks, taking three wickets in four balls early in his opening spell and finishing with figures of 4-21 from four overs.

There was little evidence of the collapse to come as openers Andrew Gale and Jacques Rudolph tore into the bowling with a salvo of boundaries, Gale helping himself to five fours in the first two overs from Graham Wagg and Nantie Hayward.

Chris Rogers smashed 37 off just 23 balls to provide early impetus to the Derbyshire innings at Headingley Carnegie

The breakthrough for Derbyshire came in the fifth over when Gale drove Tim Groenewald gently to Chris Rogers at cover, having made 26 off 14 balls.

But it was when Needham had Rudolph smartly stumped for 24 that the rot really set in as six wickets tumbled for 26.

Adam Lyth fell first ball and, though Joe Sayers denied the spinner a hat-trick, he was soon trapped lbw.

McGrath attempted to retrieve the situation by driving Needham for six, but Richard Pyrah became Needham’s fourth victim before Ajmal Shahzad was bowled in the next over by one from Wagg which kep low.

The departure of McGrath to a beautifully judged boundary catch by Needham effectively spelled the end for Yorkshire.

Stuart Law accounted for Deon Kruis and Steve Patterson with consecutive deliveries in his first over in Twenty20 cricket, yet he was denied the chance of a possible hat-trick because Gerard Brophy was unable to bat after aggravating a hand injury while keeping wicket.

Rogers had launched an early assault on Ajmal Shahzad after Derbyshire were asked to bat, striking consecutive balls for four, six and four.

Despite seeing Wagg sky Kruis to Gale, he hit out freely in making 37 off 23 balls. However, like Law, he was run out after being beaten by Sayers’ throw.

Wavell Hinds and Garry Park ensured Derbyshire posted a respectable total with a 57-run stand for the fifth wicket, Hinds ending unbeaten on 49 from 44 balls with two fours and a six, while Park hit 42 from 23 deliveries.

Despite their convincing victory, Derbyshire still finished bottom of the North Division.