YORKSHIRE'S hopes of winning the double are over after a thumping eight-wicket defeat to Gloucestershire in the Royal London Cup semi-final at Headingley.

The county champions – who will retain their four-day title, probably this week at Middlesex – were hurt badly by a late-innings batting collapse which saw them lose six wickets for 65 and only post 263-9.

Their under-par total was then comfortably reeled in by a Gloucester side steered by experienced Australian opener Michael Klinger, who had flown back from Perth especially to be captain in this fixture and survived a huge lbw shout from Tim Bresnan with his first ball.

Klinger turned his fifth successive one-day fifty into an unbeaten 137 off 145 balls to ensure Yorkshire's 13-year wait for a piece of limited-overs silverware will go on.

Yorkshire's batting effort on a true surface summed up their short-form displays for the last three seasons since they made the Twenty20 final in 2012 – significant underachievement.

After Adam Lyth, who top-scored with 96, and Alex Lees had shared 103 inside 18 overs for the first wicket, the Vikings advanced to a position of great strength at 198-3 in the 36th over.

With England duo Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance at the crease, they were on course for a score in the region of 320.

But both men fell, lbw to Liam Norwell and caught and bowled by Benny Howell respectively, to prevent any acceleration in the closing stages of an innings which limped beyond 260.

Howell was excellent for 3-37 from ten overs, while no other batsman made it beyond Bairstow's 34 to support Lyth.

Klinger then anchored Gloucestershire's chase expertly with his third one-day ton of the season.

He shared 56 for the first wicket with Chris Dent and a record 177 unbroken with Hamish Marshall, who posted 78 not out, as they advanced from 90-2 in the 21st over.

Since beating Somerset in the final of the C&G Trophy at Lord's in 2002, this was Yorkshire's fifth defeat in one-day semi-finals.