Shan Masood leads from the front as Yorkshire CCC makes it two wins from three

And so it was that 3,417 of them descended on Clifton Park on Wednesday, far from those stadia where, as it claims on the official Hundred website, “every ball counts”.

They saw Yorkshire beat Sussex by 49 runs, Shan Masood top-scoring with 63 in the hosts’ 261 all-out before Ben Coad, Dan Moriarty and Dom Bess each took two wickets as Yorkshire made it two wins from three in the 50-over tournament.

While The Hundred orbits the game in a world of its own, watched by people who are often in a world of their own, the One-Day Cup benefits from two unintended consequences - the aforementioned forays into mainly picturesque England, where most outgrounds are cited, and the chances afforded to young county players, with the big names elsewhere.

There were plenty on show at York, not least in the ranks of the opposition, which included 10 players aged 25 or under; just like policemen, the cricketers these days seem to be getting younger.

The match started eventfully after Yorkshire were inserted, the hosts making one change to the side beaten by Notts in Sookholme on Sunday, Ben Cliff replacing fellow pace man Dom Leech. Will Luxton fell to the final ball of the first over, bowled by Ari Karvelas as he tried to turn to leg, and Fin Bean was dropped off the first delivery of the second over, Henry Crocombe failing to cling on to a difficult chance at third man, the ball running away for four.

There was bounce in the surface, which looked good for batting, and Bean rode it well as he recovered from that sketchy start to play some handsome strokes. Twice the left-hander drove Karvelas through the covers towards the marquee, then successive fours off Jack Campbell - through the covers and straight - raised the Yorkshire fifty inside eight overs.

Bean looked set for a big one, but having skipped to 37 from 30, he was cut off in his prime when he was adjudged caught behind off an inside edge. He looked less than pleased with the decision of umpire Neil Mallender, after which came an intriguing message over the PA system for the owner of a black BMW.

“Apparently, you’ve left your engine running,” the announcer informed. Quite how someone could leave their engine running without realising it is a mystery to rival that of the Cottingley fairies.

James Wharton maintained momentum with a pleasant 38, adding 60 for the third-wicket with Masood before locating mid-off. The captain eased to a 68-ball half-century that contained two fours and a straight six off Bertie Foreman, the 20-year-old off-spinner, which was well pouched by a man at the back of the temporary stand that was chock-full as ever.

Otherwise, spectators ringed the boundary in their seats and deckchairs, while others observed from the pavilion or the giant white marquee. Weather-wise, the day was hot enough to grill a sausage on a barbie without the need for flame, although the sun rather dropped in-and-out, a bit like the wi-fi.

From 154-3 in the 32nd over, Yorkshire were pegged back a tad. George Hill pulled to mid-on, Masood ran himself out going for a second to deep backward-square, and Matty Revis top-edged a pull into the same area, which left the hosts 189-6 in the 40th.

Harry Duke and Bess contributed valuable 30s, sharing 61 for the seventh-wicket in 52 balls, before the last four wickets fell in a flash - Duke bowled trying to scoop, Bess run-out trying for a second to deep mid-wicket, Moriarty skying to mid-on and Coad to the wicketkeeper. Crocombe finished with 4-47, and there were two balls of the innings unused.

In reply, Sussex lost two wickets with at 23, Tom Haines run-out by a direct hit from Luxton at backward-point, Henry Rogers bowled driving at Coad. One wondered if a quick kill might be in the offing but the hosts were held up by captain Tom Clark (55) and wicketkeeper Charlie Tear (43), who added 95 for the third-wicket in 98 balls.

The loss of both in two overs to Bess, however, damaged the visitors, the spinner having Tear slog-sweeping to deep backward-square and Clark driving to cover. Coad returned to have Zac Lion-Cachet caught at the wicket, Moriarty trapped Ibrahim lbw in the next, and then claimed the important wicket of Oli Carter (43), sweeping to deep backward-square, which left Sussex 198-7.

Revis had Foreman slashing behind, a big deflection off Hill, the bowler, ran out Karvelas at the non-striker’s end, and Sussex were all out for 212 when Hill bowled Campbell.

The Hundred? You can keep it.