LIAM Plunkett and Tim Bresnan scored 61 off the last 17 balls of the Yorkshire innings, but it was not enough to secure a NatWest T20 Blast victory over Worcestershire at New Road last night.

The all-round pair breathed life into visitors’ innings as they went from 112-6 at the start of the 18th over to 173-6 from 20.

Plunkett posted 34 not out from only ten balls. He smashed three sixes and two fours in the 19th over as seamer Ed Barnard conceded 30 runs. Bresnan also contributed heavily with 29 not out from 13 deliveries.

But unfortunately, instead of their seventh-wicket partnership putting the game beyond North Group leaders Worcester, it merely made the game more competitive.

The Rapids achieved the 174 target with seven wickets to spare and five balls remaining as Alexei Kervezee led the way with 52 not out.

Yorkshire, whose bowling and fielding performance was tame, have now lost their opening two North Group fixtures ahead of tonight’s Roses clash at Emirates Old Trafford when they will at least have England stars Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow back in their side.

After winning the toss, Yorkshire captain Alex Lees recorded a controlled 46 off 36, although the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals and only scored 37 runs in their six overs of powerplay.

They reached halfway at 69-2 and 15 overs at 98-4, with debutant David Willey only scoring six before chopping on to Barnard to help the hosts make the breakthrough early on.

Pace off the ball was working for Worcester, with captain Daryl Mitchell’s gentle medium pacers returning 1-15 from three overs.

Yorkshire’s innings looked to be on the ropes when they lost three for 20 inside four overs to slip from 92-3 in the 14th to 112-6 in the 18th, with seamer Joe Leach getting all three wickets.

He bowled both Gary Ballance and Will Rhodes, the latter off the inside edge as he tried to pull.

As it was, Bresnan and Plunkett continued their excellent form with the bat to put Yorkshire in a healthy state.

The pair, who both scored valuable runs in the Championship win over Lancashire at Headingley earlier this week, took Barnard and New Zealand quick Matt Henry apart in brutal fashion.

They both hit sixes straight down the ground and over square-leg, with the Worcester pair aiding their cause with some wayward bowling.

But the Rapids, who scored 44 inside the first five overs, made a good start to their innings as captain Mitchell hit six fours in 29.

Plunkett continued his excellent night with wickets in his first two overs as the score fell to 57-2 in the seventh over. He had Mitchell caught at mid-on and bowled Tom Kohler-Cadmore with a slower ball.

The hosts reached halfway at 87-2, needing 87 more.

And after the wicket of Kohler-Cadmore, they gained control of the chase. Highly-rated England Lions batsman Joe Clarke hit 34 off 23 balls and shared 51 with former Netherlands international Kervezee.

Their stand was broken when the former punted Adil Rashid to long-off, leaving the score at 108-3 in the 12th.

The target became 45 off five at 129-3, with Kervezee now in partnership with Brett D’Oliveira (34no).

They shared an unbroken 66 in 7.2 overs, with Kervezee hitting six fours in 37 balls.