Yorkshire Carnegie lose against Lancashire

8:37am Monday 12th May 2008

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Yorkshire Carnegie failed to go top of the Friends Provident Trophy North Division after a thrilling rain-affected defeat against Roses rivals Lancashire at Old Trafford yesterday.

But the White Rose county will still fancy their chances of qualifying for the quarter finals with four games remaining - two of them against unfancied Scotland.

Yorkshire narrowly failed to defend a Duckworth Lewis adjusted target of 214 after a 90-minute rain delay, losing by three wickets in the penultimate over.

Lancashire's South African Kolpak batsman Francois Du Plessis hit an unbeaten 77 to claim victory after his side had been in tatters at 76-5.

Earlier, Jacques Rudolph compiled a patient 65, while veteran Yorkshire batsman Craig White recorded 42 not out to help the visitors recover from 58-4 to post 204-7 in 45 overs.

And then superb bowling from captain Darren Gough (3-45) and England hopeful Tim Bresnan shattered the Lightning's top order.

The hosts, who had won the toss and elected to field first, made the perfect start thanks to three wickets from Kyle Hogg, reducing Yorkshire to 44-3 in the 12th over of the game.

Hogg removed Gerard Brophy (18), Anthony McGrath and left-hander Andrew Gale for 20. Sajid Mahmood whipped out Adam Lyth soon after for 58-4.

But Rudolph and White embarked on a solid and crucial fifth wicket alliance of 81 to wrestle back the momentum.

Rudolph hit three boundaries and one six before he was bowling round his legs trying to sweep leg-spinner Simon Marshall.

An unexpected hail and rain storm halted proceedings, with the score on 145-5, before White and Bresnan upped the ante.

Bresnan added a brief 21, while Richard Pyrah's ten followed. But White, playing only his second game of any kind this season, saw things through to record an unbeaten 42.

Lancashire began their innings in solid fashion to reach 33-0 in the tenth over. But Bresnan snapped up Mal Loye and Stuart Law in the space of two legitimate balls.

Gough, baited by the raucous Old Trafford crowd, further brightened things by trapping Pakistan star Mohammad Yousuf lbw and smartly snaffling Steven Croft off his own bowling at the second attempt.

David Wainwright picked up Gareth Cross (41), before Du Plessis and Luke Sutton put on 62 for the sixth wicket.

Pyrah removed Sutton, but Du Plessis and Hogg notched 57 for the eight wicket to leave Glen Chapple (13) to hit the winnings runs.