Derbyshire v Yorkshire: Yorkshire bring their lingering campaign to lively conclusion

Neither Yorkshire nor Derbyshire could reach the quarter-finals in their final group match at the County Ground last night.

Durham’s victory over Northamptonshire the previous evening had made it mathematically impossible for Yorkshire to qualify, while Derbyshire were technically eliminated last Saturday.

It made for a low-key finish to the 16-match group stage, which lingered interminably like a stubborn summer cold. Yorkshire will certainly not be sorry to see the back of the crash-bang-wallop as they maintained their record of being one of only three counties – Derbyshire and Worcestershire the others – never to have reached Finals Day.

Indeed, Yorkshire have only twice reached the quarter-finals in the nine seasons of the competition discounting their progress to the last-eight in 2008, when they were bundled out for fielding unregistered Azeem Rafiq.

It is a record of underachievement that shows no sign of abating following another campaign that never got going.

At least Yorkshire went out on a high as they achieved an eight-wicket victory that gave them sixth place in the North Group.

They bowled and fielded well to restrict Derbyshire to 127-7 after losing the toss, pace bowler Ben Sanderson returning a career-best 4-21.

Yorkshire’s run-chase was given an electrifying start by captain Andrew Gale, who smote 30 from 22 balls with five fours.

Opening partner Joe Sayers went on to achieve the top-score of 43, while Adam Lyth (41 not out) and Joe Root (seven not out) sealed the win with two overs to spare.

Before 2,000 spectators in the sultry East Midlands, Yorkshire made two changes to the side that beat Durham by three wickets in their previous Twenty20 outing at Scarborough on Sunday.

Tim Bresnan and Root replaced Adil Rashid and Gerard Brophy, the wicketkeeping gloves reverting to Jonny Bairstow.

Bresnan was quickly into the action when he had Wes Durston lbw with the fourth delivery of the second over. Sanderson followed suit by having Greg Smith lbw in the fifth over as Derbyshire slipped to 32-2.

The home team managed 40 runs during the six overs of power play, their innings stabilised by a third-wicket partnership of 58 in 10 overs between Martin Guptill and Wayne Madsen. There was plenty of industry from the pair but not too many fireworks – although Guptill launched Sanderson for a straight six into the Racecourse End and Madsen reverse-swept David Wainwright for six towards the electronic scoreboard, the only maximums of the Derbyshire innings.

Yorkshire systematically squeezed the scoring and created pressure which triggered a madcap period in which Derbyshire lost four wickets in eight balls.

Rich Pyrah had Madsen caught at long-on for 29 from 31 balls, while Guptill was bowled for 46 from 39 deliveries trying to mow Pyrah’s next ball over mid-wicket.

When Sanderson had Chesney Hughes caught behind and then bowled Jonathan Clare with successive balls, Derbyshire had slumped from 90-2 to 93-6.

Sanderson picked up his fourth wicket when he bowled Ross Whiteley in the penultimate over, Pyrah playing his part with 2-19 from four overs.

Derbyshire’s total looked nothing to write home about and so it proved. Gale scored the first 23 runs of the innings off his own bat with trademark belligerence – including 18 off the second over bowled by Mark Turner, which included four boundaries.

With Sayers providing sensible support, deflecting deftly and attacking when appropriate, Yorkshire gave themselves the perfect platform to ensure the Derbyshire bowlers never got a foothold.

The visitors scored 52 runs during the power play overs, Gale falling to the last ball before the fielding restrictions were lifted when he perished lbw to Whiteley.

Sayers was not dislodged until the 13th over, the left-hander falling lbw to Hughes following a 38-ball innings that included four fours.

His departure left Yorkshire 95-2 from 13 overs, after which the visitors slowed up a touch in the face of tight bowling.

Eighteen were still wanted from the last three overs, at which point Lyth decided enough was enough and savagely hit out.

He crashed Steffan Jones for three successive off-side boundaries, took a two to mid-wicket and then wrapped up the win with a rasping four through wide long-on.

Yorkshire return to CB40 action tomorrow when they take on Middlesex at Headingley Carnegie (1.45pm start).