Derbyshire Falcons v Yorkshire Carnegie: Victory fails to hide Yorkshire's dramatic fall from grace in T20

Yorkshire's failure to beat Northamptonshire at Wantage Road – despite the home team needing 13 runs off the last ball – knocked the wind out of their sails like a punch to the midriff.

Northamptonshire escaped with a tie when Richard Pyrah bowled a no-ball that was hit for six by Nicky Boje, counting as eight runs to the total.

When Boje struck the extra delivery for four, Pyrah slumped to the ground in despair and Yorkshire's campaign descended into freefall.

Two days later, there followed an abject 34-run defeat to Warwickshire which suggested Yorkshire had lost all momentum.

This was confirmed when they slipped to a five-wicket reverse at Lancashire, a 14-run defeat at Warwickshire followed by Saturday's seven-wicket mauling at Nottinghamshire, which left them unable to reach the last eight. So dramatic was Yorkshire's fall from grace, indeed, they required a six-wicket victory at Derby yesterday to make certain of not finishing bottom of the North Division.

As recently as June 24, Yorkshire were second in the table and had high hopes of reaching their first-ever finals day before the wheels came off in spectacular style. It would be grossly unfair, of course, to blame Yorkshire's elimination solely on Pyrah, one of their most consistent one-day performers.

The all-rounder claimed 21 wickets in this season's tournament at 19.42 and held some excellent catches, leading some generally impressive fielding displays. But if Yorkshire had defeated Northamptonshire they would have gone third in the league and had one foot in the quarter-finals.

As it was, they fell away following a result at Wantage Road that Yorkshire captain Gale admitted was "scandalous". At least Yorkshire achieved their ambition of going out with a bang in their 16th and final group match of an interminable competition.

In a largely lifeless and colourless affair, Derbyshire scored 137-7 after winning the toss with only Wes Durston (39) and Robin Peterson (32 not out) managing useful contributions.

Gale top-scored with 55 from 56 balls and Gary Ballance hit an unbeaten 48, his highest score for Yorkshire, as the visitors prevailed with four balls to spare.

Following pre-match "entertainment" that included a falconry display, stilt walking and an incongruous rendition of "You Raise Me Up" by a local tenor in front of a sparse crowd, Derbyshire chose to bat in muggy conditions.

Durston and Chesney Hughes added 41 for the first wicket in seven overs before the latter was comprehensively bowled by Pyrah. It became 46-2 in the next over when Adil Rashid bowled Derbyshire captain Greg Smith for two. Rashid conceded 1-29 from four overs to add to his status as Yorkshire's best bowler in the tournament with 26 wickets at 16.46.

The home side's innings struggled to get going and they lost their third wicket with the score on 72 in the 11th over.

Durston – caught on 36 by Pyrah on the straight boundary off a Lee Hodgson no-ball – added only three more before slapping a wide full toss from the same bowler to Gale at cover.

Hodgson then bowled Jonathan Clare in the 13th over on his way to a creditable 2-29.

Derbyshire lost wickets at regular intervals and Wayne Madsen was next to depart, dancing down the track to David Wainwright and being comfortably stumped by Jonathan Bairstow.

Garry Park struck the only six of the innings, lofting Wainwright over square-leg, before falling to a catch at deep mid-wicket off Clint McKay, who had a generally ineffectual competition as one of Yorkshire's overseas players.

Herschelle Gibbs, Yorkshire's other foreign import, took a simple catch in the final over when Steffan Jones lofted Pyrah to long-off, with Derbyshire's total looking somewhat below-par.

Yorkshire's reply got off to a poor start when Adam Lyth picked out deep mid-wicket in the second over.

Gibbs, seeking an explosive farewell in his final appearance, hammered Tim Groenewald for a straight four before lofting his next delivery to cover in wayward style.

But Gale and Ballance worked the ball around confidently during a third-wicket stand of 85 in 13 overs, which ended when Gale was bowled by Charl Langeveldt.

Yorkshire lost a fourth wicket on 127 when Bairstow was run-out following a mix-up with Ballance.

On his return to the club where he made a handful of appearances at the start of his career, Ballance saw it through during a 43-ball innings that included four fours.

McKay sealed victory with a leg-side six off Groenewald, with Derbyshire left to rue a poor all-round performance.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Andrew Gale

The Yorkshire captain scored 55 from 56 balls to ensure his team ended their disappointing Twenty20 campaign on a high note.

Derbyshire v Yorkshire

Derby: Yorkshire beat Derbyshire by 6 wkts

Derbyshire

W J Durston c Gale b Hodgson 39

C F Hughes b Pyrah 14

G M Smith b A U Rashid 2

W L Madsen st Bairstow b Wainwright 15

J L Clare b Hodgson 10

R J Peterson not out 32

G T Park c Gibbs b McKay 14

P S Jones c Gibbs b Pyrah 1

L J Goddard not out 2

Extras lb1 w1 nb6 8

Total 7 wkts (20 overs) 137

Fall: 1-41 2-46 3-72 4-82 5-91 6-124 7-130

Bowling: Sanderson 2 0 13 0; McKay 3 0 16 1; A U Rashid 4 0 29 1; Pyrah 4 0 25 2; Hodgson 4 0 29 2; Wainwright 3 0 24 1.

Yorkshire

A W Gale b Langeveldt 55

A Lyth c Durston b Smith 10

H H Gibbs c Clare b Groenewald 5

G S Ballance not out 48

J M Bairstow run out 2

C J McKay not out 10

Extras b4 lb4 8

Total 4 wkts (19.2 overs) 138

Fall: 1-16 2-33 3-118 4-127

Bowling: Groenewald 3.2 0 29 1; Smith 4 0 26 1; Langeveldt 4 0 20 1; P S Jones 4 0 30 0; Park 3 0 16 0; Peterson 1 0 9 0.

North Division – final table

P W L T NR Pts

Warwickshire 16 11 4 0 1 23

Nottinghamshire 16 10 4 2 0 22

Lancashire 16 9 6 0 1 19

Northants 16 7 6 3 0 17

Derbyshire 16 6 8 0 2 14

Yorkshire 16 6 9 1 0 13

Leicestershire 16 6 9 0 1 13

Durham 16 4 8 0 4 12

Worcestershire 16 5 10 0 1 11