White Roses left red faced by old foes

There was simply no excuse for an error-strewn performance by Yorkshire who were skittled for 81 in 27.2 overs, their lowest total in the 31 years of the competition's existence.

Not only was their batting casual and careless but four catches also went begging and Steven Kirby bowled three no-balls which resulted in free hits.

It was a slap-happy effort by Yorkshire who lacked motivation through having already qualified for the quarter-final draw but the large Bank Holiday crowd deserved far better reward for having turned out on a bitterly cold and drab day.

Former Yorkshire captain David Byas was at the crease when Mark Chilton hit the winnings runs for Lancashire in only the 11th over and he could barely have envisaged such an easy contest on his return to his old stamping ground.

Byas held on to a great catch and was later dropped himself but two other Yorkshiremen in Lancashire's side had a much bigger influence on the outcome of the game.

Skipton-born Glen Chapple scooped the man-of-the-match gold award for his tight bowling and quickfire 42 from just 26 deliveries while another strong contender was Wakefield-born John Wood who claimed 3-33.

England all-rounder Andy Flintoff was also very much in the frame with his career-best B&H figures of 4-11 off 7.2 overs.

Put in to bat, Yorkshire undoubtedly got the worse of the conditions on a green and lively pitch but too many batsmen adopted a cavalier approach and got out to dreadful shots.

There was no worse offender than skipper Darren Lehmann who held himself back until Yorkshire were 50-5 and then got out four four having a dreadful heave at Flintoff, the ball going into his stumps off an inside edge.

Craig White and Michael Vaughan actually made a bright start with an opening stand of 28 in six overs but White set the tone for what was to come when he aimed wildly at Wood and was bowled.

Yorkshire committed suicide, losing their last nine wickets for a mere 53 runs and when the final wicket went down at 81 they were still seven runs adrift of their previous lowest score in the competition of 88 against Worcestershire at Leeds in 1995.

Chapple soon blazed the trail with seven boundaries but he was put down three times - by Anthony McGrath at second slip and off consecutive balls from Matthew Hoggard by Vaughan at deep mid-off and Michael Lumb at mid-wicket.

Lancashire had raced to 67 in the eighth over when Tim Bresnan's first ball was hit to mid-wicket by Chapple whose luck had finally run out and in the following over Alec Swann was pouched at third slip by Lehmann off Hoggard.

Byas came in to loud cheers and only a few jeers.

He was off the mark with a quick single before he edged Kirby to McGrath who dropped a low catch which he tried to poach off first slip.

McGrath was in Byas's old position of second slip - and if Byas had not moved away from his native county he would have been there to catch it himself!

SCORECARD

Benson and Hedges Cup

Yorkshire v Lancashire

at Headingley

Lancashire beat Yorkshire by 8 wkts

Yorkshire Innings

White b Wood 10

Vaughan c Hegg b Wood 18

Bresnan c Swann b Wood 16

Lumb lbw b Chapple 0

McGrath c Flintoff b Hogg 2

Fellows c Byas b Flintoff 2

Lehmann b Flintoff 4

Blakey c Hogg b Flintoff 14

Gray c & b Flintoff 1

Kirby c Hegg b Hogg 0

Hoggard not out 7

Extras lb6 w1 7

Total (27.2 overs) 81

Fall: 1-28 2-31 3-32 4-48 5-50 6-51 7-62 8-64 9-65

Bowling: Chapple 6-2-14-1 Wood 6-0-33-3 Hogg 8-2-17-2 Flintoff 7.2-4-11-4

Lancashire Innings

Chilton not out 27

Chapple c Hoggard b Bresnan 42

Swann c Lehmann b Hoggard 1

Byas not out 3

Extras w1 nb8 9

Total 2 wkts (10.5 overs) 82

Fall: 1-67 2-73

Did Not Bat: S G Law, G D Lloyd, A Flintoff, C P Schofield, W K Hegg, K W Hogg, J Wood.

Bowling: Kirby 5-1-43-0 Hoggard 4.5-0-33-1 Bresnan 1-0-6-1

Umpires: B Leadbeater and N A Mallender

Lancashire won the toss

Updated: 11:34 Tuesday, May 07, 2002