Yorkshire fall short in run-feast
Yorkshire have lost their opening two Friends Provident t20 matches after going down by 21 runs against Worcestershire at New Road
Cricinfo staff
05-Jun-2010
Yorkshire have lost their opening two Friends Provident t20 matches after going down by 21 runs against Worcestershire at New Road. Facing a victory target of 209 as they sought to bounce back from their disappointing 65-run defeat at home to Derbyshire, the visitors were restricted to 187 for 7.
Worcestershire, in front of a crowd of around 4,500, launched their campaign by making 208 for 7, James Cameron top scoring with an unbeaten 51 off 31 balls. After winning the toss, they got off to a speedy start by smacking 18 off the game's opening over, bowled by spinner Azeem Rafiq.
Skipper Vikram Solanki was quickly in full flow until he holed out to Anthony McGrath at mid-on off Steven Patterson for 30, made off 13 balls with two sixes and three fours. His opening partner Phil Jaques also fell for 30, bowled while going for a big hit during Rich Pyrah's first over.
McGrath then held a one-handed catch on the boundary to dismiss Alexei Kervezee off Adil Rashid while Moeen Ali had his middle stump knocked back by Rafiq, and at the halfway stage in their innings Worcestershire were 101 for 4.
Rashid also accounted for Daryl Mitchell and Australian rising star Steve Smith, who made 34 on his debut, to finish with figures of 3 for 30. Ben Scott fell to Patterson in the final over, leaving Cameron unbeaten with three sixes and four fours.
Yorkshire, without Herschelle Gibbs who was suffering from a stiff neck, lost Andrew Gale in the third over when he departed to an excellent running catch by Jack Shantry off Gareth Andrew. Adam Lyth was removed for a duck by Imran Arif before Andrew struck again thanks to a great diving catch by wicketkeeper Scott which saw off Jaques Rudolph.
Smith collected his first wicket for Worcestershire by ousting Gerard Brophy and after ten overs Yorkshire were finding the going tough on 75 for 4. Their difficulties increased when Mitchell dismissed Jonathan Bairstow, although McGrath and Rashid did their best to boost the visitors' fortunes.
They put on 65 in 6.2 overs before the partnership was broken by Shantry, who removed Rashid for 34. McGrath followed in the next over to signal the beginning of the end for Yorkshire.