JUST as Yorkshire’s red-ball form takes a turn for the better, their white-ball season looks to be in jeopardy.

Two superb innings victories over the last fortnight against Gloucestershire and Derbyshire in Division Two of the Vitality County Championship have catapulted the White Rose into the promotion race.

But Friday’s narrow four-run Vitality Blast defeat at home to Birmingham Bears was followed by yesterday’s grim seven-wicket loss at Derbyshire Falcons, putting their qualification from North Group in major doubt.

Yorkshire had made a decent enough start to their T20 campaign, and began the weekend inside the top four and on course for the Blast quarter-finals.

But two defeats in three days have seen them slip to third-bottom in the table, three points adrift of fourth-placed Durham.

Their clash with Birmingham at Headingley was a dramatic, high-scoring, affair.

Yorkshire were chasing an imposing total of 214-7, which was dominated by a magnificent unbeaten 98 from Sam Hain.

Bears captain and opener Alex Davies, who elected to bat, also contributed a brisk 43, though he later left the field with a finger injury sustained whilst keeping wicket. 

Dan Moriarty bowled out Ed Barnard with the first ball of the match, and he came up with useful figures of 2-35.

Seamers Jordan Thompson and Conor McKerr also took two wickets apiece, but both went at more than 10 an over.

Conor McKerr took two wickets on Friday night but he also went for an eye-watering 55 runs in his four overs.Conor McKerr took two wickets on Friday night but he also went for an eye-watering 55 runs in his four overs. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

Dom Bess failed to take a wicket, but the spinner went for just two boundaries, his four overs only going for 29.

Conversely, poor Matthew Revis only bowled one over, but that cost 24 runs as he was smashed out of the attack.

Dawid Malan made a classy 54 and James Wharton bludgeoned a quickfire 29 as Yorkshire raced to 80-1 halfway through the seventh over of the reply.

Once Wharton and George Hill were removed, Malan ploughed on alongside overseas signing Donovan Ferreira, before being dismissed with 60 still needed to win.

But South African Ferreira was seeing it like a beach ball and he blazed his way to 66 from just 32 balls, hitting seven sixes along the way.

Yorkshire needed 18 off the final two overs with six wickets in hand, but Ferreira was then caught in the deep and Shan Masood and Thompson were unable to drag the Vikings over the line.

If Friday night was close, yesterday afternoon saw Yorkshire massacred.

Batting first, they collapsed to 21-5, with only Ferreira’s quickfire 44 saving them from total humiliation, as they made a badly under-par 130-9.

Spinner Alex Thomson took three wickets in an over, Adam Lyth, Malan and Masood no less, on his way to figures of 3-26.

Pakistan pace ace Mohammad Amir also impressed with 2-23 from his four overs.

Despite the game being played out on a two-paced pitch in Chesterfield, the Falcons had no trouble chasing their target down.

Skipper David Lloyd scored 50 from 32 balls, while the experienced Wayne Madsen saw them over the line with 30 not out.

Yorkshire are back in Blast action at home to Durham on Thursday night, before they travel to Old Trafford for a Roses T20 24 hours later.