A moment's carelessness by Darren Lehmann proved fatal for Yorkshire who crashed to defeat by 97 runs against one-day kings Gloucestershire in the semi-final of the Benson and Hedges Cup at Headingley yesterday.

Chasing a tough 240 target, Yorkshire lost skipper David Byas and Michael Lumb with only seven scored, but Michael Vaughan and Lehmann just appeared to be weathering the storm when the Australian was out in bizarre fashion.

The left-hander pushed a ball from Ian Harvey to mid-off where Chris Taylor picked it up and returned to wicketkeeper Jack Russell who whipped off the bails with Lehmann loitering just outside his crease in the mistaken belief that his foot was behind the line and no danger existed.

But his heels were a good two inches down the pitch and although umpire Ray Julian referred it to the third umpire, Graham Burgess, television replays showed there was no doubt at all about the dismissal.

Shocked by the departure of their star overseas batsman, Yorkshire went to pieces and at one stage stood on an embarrassing 25 for five.

They were finally bowled out for 142 in 37.5 overs to continue their gloomy record of cup exists.

In the past ten years they have now crashed seven times in the semi-final stages of the two major knockout tournaments as well as being beaten by Gloucestershire in the final of the Benson and Hedges Super Cup in 1999.

It was that hammering by 124 runs which Yorkshire so badly wanted to avenge but even setting aside Lehmann's unfortunate dismissal they were still very much second best to Mark Alleyne and his buoyant team.

Yorkshire caused a stir before the start by leaving out Matthew Hoggard but the England bowler has been in poor one-day form and his place went to Chris Silverwood who looked sharp on Sunday after returning to the side following a groin injury.

Both Darren Gough and Silverwood had little luck with the new ball after Alleyne had decided to bat first on winning the toss but Tim Hancock and Kim Barnett attacked strongly to rattle up 48 in 12 overs, the biggest stand of the innings.

Barnett was then caught behind off Gavin Hamilton but Matthew Windows kept the scoreboard ticking over and Yorkshire never looked like bowling out their opponents cheaply.

Hancock, dropped at slip by Byas on 17, was brilliantly run out by Gary Fellows' direct hit for 42 but Windows went on to hit the highest score of the game, his 54 from 93 balls with two fours and a six earning him the man-of-the-match gold award.

Yorkshire never got the sort of start they wanted because Byas propped forward in James Averis's second over to be caught behind and Michael Lumb threw his wicket away with a wild drive which was well caught by Alleyne at second slip.

The dismissal of Lehmann knocked the heart out of Yorkshire and worse quickly followed as Vaughan carved to third man and Fellows was lbw without scoring.

Craig White and Hamilton earned some respect with a 59 stand for the sixth wicket before White was bowled by Alleyne, Hamilton falling lbw to Martyn Ball one run later.

Richard Blakey played some positive shots late on to finish unbeaten on 35 but even the £15,500 Yorkshire received as losing semi-finalists was small consolation for such an abject performance.A disappointed Byas said afterwards: "It was a good pitch and I would have batted first if I had won the toss. I though we bowled okay and fielded all right but no more. The 240 target was gettable but at 25 for five the damage had been done.

"I don't think it was a case of stage fright or the occasion being too much, it was just that we didn't play well enough.

Lehmann's dismissal was a body blow but we have won games without him this season and White and Hamilton showed what could be done."I am sick of losing semi-finals but we shall just have to keep trying. I think the spirit and talent is certainly there."

Updated: 09:49 Tuesday, June 26, 2001