Yorkshire cannot afford any slips – Moxon

The White Rose county are at Edgbaston tonight to face Warwickshire before rounding off their group stage campaign with a weekend double-header against Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Yorkshire have slipped out of the top four in the North Division after a dip in form that has brought three defeats and a tie from their last four outings.

It means Derbyshire, who occupy the final qualifying berth, hold a two-point advantage over Andrew Gale's men going into a difficult final trio of games against sides in the top four.

Moxon, the county's director of professional cricket, admits the recent run has been damaging but is adamant Yorkshire can still claim a place in the last eight.

He said: "Our Twenty20 season has been a bit up and down. We started with two defeats but then went on a good run. At one stage, we had won four out of five games only to lose a close game against Leicestershire.

"Unfortunately, since then, we have had the tied game at Northants and a couple of defeats to leave us outside the top four.

"I believe we need to win the last three games to qualify. If we play as I know we can, then it is possible we will win all three.

"But we can't afford any slip-ups. I don't think two wins out of three will be enough."

Nottinghamshire are already through to the quarter-finals, while second-placed Warwickshire need just a point to book their place.

Lancashire, courtesy of last Friday's Roses triumph, also seem to have one foot in the last eight to leave the remaining six counties chasing the final berth.

With just three points separating Derbyshire in fourth from Durham at the bottom of the table, there is clearly plenty of potential for late drama this week, something that does not surprise Moxon.

He said: "Twenty20 is a very unpredictable format, which I think has been proved this year by how close both leagues are. There are not a lot of points between most of the sides."

Ajmal Shahzad is available after a stint on England duty but is rated doubtful after suffering a hamstring strain in Monday's ODI victory over Bangladesh.

Tim Bresnan is also rested but David Wainwright is back in the squad after recovering from injury to take the place of Azeem Rafiq. Anthony McGrath is also missing with a thumb injury.

Two players who Yorkshire will be looking to for inspiration in the all-important final three games are Herschelle Gibbs and Clint McKay.

Moxon added: "There is a fine line between success and failure in Twenty20 but Herschelle has done well for us and hit a great century (against Northants).

"Clint has not played quite as much for us but I thought he did well at Old Trafford when he bowled economically. He could have a big part to play in our final three games."

England batsman Ian Bell was yesterday ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan due to the foot injury he suffered against Bangladesh in the surprise defeat at Bristol four days ago.

He has undergone a routine operation on the fractured metatarsal in his left foot.