Yorkshire edge out Lancashire in Roses clash at Headingley

A typically pulsating clash on a pitch suiting pace off saw the pendulum swing back and forth.

But it went decisively the Vikings’ way when Lightning slipped from 67-2 in the eighth over to 88-5 by the 11th and despite a battling recovery, they fell just short of victory on 166-8. 

Home captain Shan Masood underpinned Yorkshire’s 173-8 with 61 off 41 balls, with a controversial reprieve towards the back end of his innings.

At the other end, England’s Joe Root contributed 43 off 33 as he and Masood shared 104 for the third wicket.

Later, Yorkshire off-spinner Dom Bess struck twice on his way to fine figures of 2-26, including the scalp of Keaton Jennings for 46, to start that aforementioned mini collapse from Lightning.

Yorkshire won for the fourth time in seven to move up to fourth in the table, while North Group leaders Lancashire lost their third game in eight.

Off-spinner Chris Green was the pick of Lancashire’s bowlers with 2-21, while pacer Saqib Mahmood struck three times but went for 41 runs in his four overs.

Yorkshire’s innings, having elected to bat, saw Lancashire start and finish well with the ball, but the hosts dominated in the middle through Masood and Root. 

Vikings lost Adam Lyth lbw to Green’s first ball and Dawid Malan caught at midwicket off a top-edged pull against Mahmood - meaning they were floundering on 23-2 in the third over.

But Root guided back-to-back boundaries to third-man and long-leg off Mahmood’s pace in the fifth to settle things, and Yorkshire took 43 off the six-over powerplay.

They continued their steady progress until captain Masood pulled George Balderson’s seamers over midwicket for the night’s first six in the 10th over, at the end of which Yorkshire were 78-2.

Sixteen runs came off that over to really kick-start the acceleration. 

Masood took on the aggressor’s role, and by the time he reached his fifty off 33 balls, Vikings were 117-2 in the 14th over.

A moment of controversy followed when the Pakistani left-hander was reprieved shortly after, on 58.

He top-edged a ramp off Blatherwick into his helmet and was run out while in mid-pitch, seemingly waiting for a dead ball call.

In the end, the two umpires sided with Masood, whose blow to the head meant he did not field after the interval, a decision which turned out to be precautionary.

A fired-up Lancashire fought back after that umpiring decision, as Root fell caught at mid-on later in the over before Masood soon followed him after being caught behind down the leg side off Mahmood in the next.

That left Yorkshire on 131-4 and those two dismissals were central to an impressive Red Rose recovery.

Green, Blatherwick and Mahmood all struck again, while there was also a run out, as only 49 came off the last six overs for the loss of six wickets.

But Jordan Thompson did chip in with 22 from 13 balls late on, a cameo which proved crucial in the end.

Yorkshire's Jordan Thompson enjoyed a good Roses clash, hitting a quickfire 22 before taking two late wickets with the ball to see out victory. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

Yorkshire made a bright start after the interval, as quick bowler Conor McKerr had Josh Bohannon caught at mid-on in the second over of the Lightning chase.

But an in-form Jennings hit seven fours in nine balls off McKerr and Thompson in the fourth and fifth overs to take the score to 43-1.

Off-spinner Bess halted the charge when he bowled Luke Wells shortly afterwards. 

And when he had Jennings caught at deep mid-wicket, leaving Lancashire 67-3 after eight overs, the Red Rose slide started.

Matty Hurst was lbw reverse sweeping at Dan Moriarty’s spin before George Lavelle chipped a return catch to leggie Jafer Chohan making the score 88-5 in the 11th over.

Balderson and Steven Croft tried their best to recover things, but when Root’s off-spin bowled the former to make the score 124-6 after 16 overs, the Lightning’s race was all but run.

Thompson, who successfully defended 20 off the last over, struck twice late on, clean bowling both Chris Green and Croft, as Lancashire fell short on enemy territory.

Yorkshire have another Blast game tonight up in Durham, before they break off from T20 action for two Vitality County Championship matches, starting on Sunday when Gloucestershire visit Scarborough.