Unexpected blow as Bresnan is ruled out of Finals Day

Yorkshire had thought Bresnan would be allowed to play in the event at Cardiff on Saturday but England have now decided not to release him amid concerns over his workload. Bresnan, 27, is involved in the five-match one-day series against South Africa that starts in Cardiff tomorrow.

However, England have made his Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow – also part of the one-day squad – available for Finals Day, along with fellow one-day squad member Craig Kieswetter of Somerset.

Rich Pyrah is likely to take Bresnan’s place at SWALEC Stadium, while it has been confirmed neither Bresnan nor Bairstow (after Finals Day) will play any further cricket for Yorkshire this summer.

The one-day series is immediately followed by a three-match Twenty20 series against South Africa before Bresnan and Bairstow fly to Sri Lanka for the Twenty20 World Cup that starts on September 18.

The England player availability announcement came as Yorkshire warmed-up for their trip to Cardiff on Saturday with a deflating 30-run defeat against Kent at Canterbury in their penultimate CB40 match.

After Kent scored 226-5 after being sent into bat, Rob Key making 101, Yorkshire were cruising at 117-2 in the 20th over only to subside to 196 in 38.2 overs.

Kent, who moved top of Group C, began the game in solid fashion on a sun-kissed evening at the St Lawrence ground.

They reached 41 before Sam Billings was first out in the ninth over, smartly stumped by Dan Hodgson off Rich Pyrah.

Key and Sam Northeast added 70 for the second wicket in 14 overs before Northeast drove Adil Rashid to cover, Key posting 71 for the third wicket in 12 overs with Darren Stevens.

Key was one of two wickets to fall in the 35th over, bowled by Moin Ashraf, when he hit a full toss to square-leg, Ashraf then yorking Alex Blake.

Pyrah took a fine reflex catch off his own bowling to dismiss Stevens for 43 as Kent’s total fell short of par.

At the start of the 20th over, Yorkshire had lost only Jaques to a run-out and Joe Root to a catch at short extra.

But Adam Lyth and Rashid fell in the space of six balls, Gale (57) and Gary Ballance later perishing to successive deliveries as Yorkshire slipped to 160-6 and steadily out of contention.

Matt Coles returned figures of 3-25 and James Tredwell 3-31.