Dewsbury-born John Sadler played a big part in Yorkshire losing their first match of the season when they went down by six wickets to Leicestershire in the Friends Provident Trophy at Headingley Carnegie yesterday.

The former Yorkshire Academy product helped his side chase down a formidable 283 target and was still there at the close with a dashing 59 off 41 deliveries.

Sadler took part in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 96 in 12 overs with England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon, the pair seeing Leicestershire home with 16 balls remaining.

It was a disappointing performance by the Tykes bowlers which brought about the defeat against opponents who were short of six regulars.

After winning the toss, York-shire made 282 for eight as South African Jacques Rudolph registered his maiden one-day century for the Tykes.

And things continued to go their way as Jason Gillespie and Darren Gough picked up early wickets to make Leicestershire 34 for two.

But Hylton Ackerman and James Allenby, who had already claimed three wickets for 44 runs, produced some spirited hitting in a stand of 131 in 20 overs.

Bresnan soaked up some punishment and Patterson bowled untidily, conceding 32 runs from four overs.

The introduction of Richard Pyrah's medium-pacers slowed Leicestershire's progress and he accounted for both batsmen, Ackerman falling to a left-handed catch at mid-wicket by Younus for 66 from 80 balls and Allenby's robust knock of 84 off 66 deliveries being ended by a splendid diving catch by Craig White at short extra cover.

Pyrah was taken off after bowling five overs and taking two for 15 but nobody after him caused the same problems as Nixon and Sadler made the game safe for Leicestershire.

Earlier, Rudolph's well-paced century had allowed Yorkshire to progress to what should have been a winning score.

Brophy got things moving with 36 off only 22 balls before being caught on the mid-wicket boundary off Allenby.

Rudolph and Anthony McGrath added 52 together before Allenby trapped McGrath lbw with one which kept low.

Younus Khan didn't last long as he smacked a long hop to Walker on the mid-wicket boundary to bring Allenby his third wicket.

Rudolph cantered to his century off 132 balls with ten boundaries but he holed out to Ackerman in the next over before Bresnan added late acceleration.