Yorkshire’s disappointing Yorkshire Bank 40 campaign suffered another setback tonight after they slipped to a convincing five wicket defeat to Group C leaders Gloucestershire after taking the decision to rest two of their most senior players.

Already without Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan because of England commitments, Yorkshire took the bold move to also rest Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Patterson for a competition where they realistically needed to win all their remaining group matches to stand any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

But despite impressive displays from Ben Coad, a 19-year-old seamer from Harrogate, on his debut and Will Rhodes making only his fifth YB40 appearance, Yorkshire were unable to prevent Gloucestershire cruising to a convincing victory with 11 balls remaining to effectively remove the Vikings from the competition.

Deciding to bat first after winning the toss, Yorkshire seemed on course for a major total while Phil Jaques and Gary Ballance added 63 in 67 balls, only for a mid-innings collapse to halt the momentum they had built and restrict them to 240-6.

Ballance had looked in good touch progressing to 37 off 40 balls but was caught in the deep attempting a slog sweep off Miles Hammond, a 17-year-old off-spinner also given his debut, and Yorkshire never really recovered from his dismissal.

Alex Gidman, one of several Gloucestershire bowlers to profit from taking the pace off the ball, bowled Adam Lyth through the gate six overs later to become the first of three wickets to fall in the space of three overs, and was followed in his next over by Jaques, who was bowled attempting a paddle sweep after top-scoring with 70 off 86 balls.

Andrew Hodd perished in the next over from left-arm seamer David Payne, driving to slip, but Adil Rashid continued his prolific form with the bat – he has scored three centuries in his last three championship matches – to forge an impressive 52-run stand with Rhodes off 46 balls, despite being restricted to only one boundary in the final five overs.

Gloucestershire’s reply was built around a career-best 96 off 98 balls from Michael Klinger, who shared a 119-run stand off 118 balls with Gareth Roderick that effectively settled the outcome.

They could even afford to lose four wickets in six overs as they closed in on their target.