Yorkshire Carnegie book Clydesdale Bank 40 place with win over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks (From York Press)

Yorkshire Carnegie book Clydesdale Bank 40 place with win over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks

11:47am Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

Yorkshire Carnegie are through to the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40 after an enthralling four-wicket win over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

It was the Tykes tenth win from 11 games in the competition and means that the county will have home advantage for the last-four tie as one of the best group winners.

After restricting the home side to 204-8 from their 40 overs under the floodlights at Wantage Road, a magnificent innings from Anthony McGrath saw Yorkshire home with only nine balls to spare.

He came to the crease with his side in trouble on 10-2 before first embarking on a 90-run partnership with Jacques Rudolph.

Then, after the South African was out for 54, the former captain continued his good work with Gerard Brophy, who made 26, and York-based Jonathan Bairstow, who made 25, to make sure the Tykes hopes of a first Lords final since 2002 are well and truly still intact.

The two partnerships helped the Tykes eventually need only 11 runs from the last 18 balls, after requiring 57 from the last 48.

And even though McGrath was eventually ousted for 70, Ajmal Shahzad made sure there would be no late heartbreak after he smashed the winning runs with a six.

It has been confirmed that Yorkshire will play their last-four tie at Scarborough and the foundations of the victory were laid by a disciplined bowling display from the Tykes.

After the Steelbacks had raced to 37 without loss after seven overs, Steve Patterson began the fightback.

He first dismissed Rob Newton for an entertaining 35, before ousting debutant Rob Keogh for an unsteady 11 just six overs later.

His double-wicket burst left the home side on 61-2 after 13 overs, and then the rest of the Yorkshire attack got in on the act.

Tim Bresnan led them with three wickets, while Rich Pyrah picked up two wickets and Adil Rashid bowled a tight eight-over spell to finish with figures of 1-26.

It meant Northamptonshire could only post 204-8 from their 40 overs, despite a valiant 61 from Rob White, before Rudolph and McGrath excelled with the bat to see the Tykes home.

Meanwhile, Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad have been called up by England for the one-day international series against Pakistan.

The tour is set to go ahead, despite the alleged spot-fixing allegations, and Bresnan is also in the squad for two Twenty20 matches against the same opposition on Sunday and next Tuesday.