IN ONE of the most thrilling finishes that even North Marine Road has seen, Yorkshire Vikings defeated Notts Outlaws by two wickets with just two balls to spare in last night's Royal London One-Day Cup clash.

A magnificent 95 not out from Tim Bresnan guided Alex Lees’s side to a vital win in the competition.

And the roar of relief that filled the ground from nearly 5,000 spectators when Azeem Rafiq drove Luke Fletcher to the boundary to seal the victory in the final over said all that was needed about the tension that had filled the ground over the previous ten overs as Bresnan and co had inched their side nearer the target.

Requiring 252 to win, the Vikings had initially got off to a good start with Adam Lyth hitting five fours and two sixes in a 26-ball 39 before driving Harry Gurney straight to Luke Fletcher at mid on.

But that began a seven-ball sequence in which Yorkshire lost three wickets, Travis Head pulling Gurney to Luke Fletcher, and Jack Leaning being caught behind by Read off Jake Ball.

Both those batsmen fell for nought and when Lees was also caught by Read off Ball – the catch being palmed up and then kicked to the keeper by Mullaney at second slip – Yorkshire were 50 for four in the ninth over.

However, from that low point, Yorkshire’s fortunes improved as Bresnan and Adil Rashid put on 97 in 22 overs for the fifth wicket before Rashid was caught at long leg by Fletcher off Dan Christian for 41.

David Willey, Liam Plunkett and Andy Hodd all then made double figures scores but none of them could seal the win. That honour fell to Rafiq and to Bresnan, who hit six fours and two sixes in his great innings.

“I was just happy to take it deep and to be there at the end,” said Bresnan. “Me and Rash put on a nice little partnership and everyone who came in played aggressively and was busy, which helped me at the other end to do my thing.”

The Vikings had initially seemed on course for a much easier victory when they made good use of the new ball and cloudy conditions to reduce the Outlaws to 46 for five inside 14 overs.

Bresnan and Plunkett both took two wickets, with Bresnan producing one of the balls of the day to have Brendan Taylor caught by Hodd off the glove for nought, while Plunkett worked up a fair pace from the Trafalgar Square End.

But Mullaney and Christian repaired the damage with an 85-run stand, with Christian twice lifting Rafiq for sixes during his 65-ball 52, and it took a brilliant catch at backward point to remove the Australian – Lees diving to his left to grab the ball one-handed and give Steve Patterson the first of his two wickets.

That left Notts on 131-6 but Mullaney maintained the momentum of the innings, adding 42-run stand for the ninth wicket with Ball.

The Yorkshire bowlers stuck to their task with Willey removing Chris Read for 15 and Patterson bowling Ball in the 49th over, but Mullaney took 34 runs off the final 14 balls he received and finished on 89 not out.