Yorkshire Carnegie v Durham Dynamos: Hopes of last-eight place stay alive due to Pyrah

He may not be the most celebrated name or the biggest personality.

But Pyrah epitomises everything that is good about professional cricket.

A hard-working all-rounder and humble individual, he is the very definition of a model pro.

Pyrah’s value to Yorkshire was underlined yesterday when he returned the club’s best figures in Twenty20.

The 28-year-old medium-pacer took 5-16 – eclipsing Yorkshire’s previous best of 4-20 by Pyrah himself against Durham at Headingley in 2008 and by Adil Rashid against Leicestershire at Headingley last summer.

After his efforts restricted Durham to 144-8 after they were asked to bat, Pyrah sealed a three-wicket victory with three balls to spare by clubbing an unbeaten 17 off seven deliveries.

It kept alive Yorkshire’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals ahead of their final group match at Derbyshire on Friday night, although Yorkshire could still be eliminated before that if other results conspire against them.

In front of 6,500 spectators at North Marine Road, which made for a colourful atmosphere at Scarborough’s first Twenty20 fixture, Pyrah struck with his fourth ball beneath overcast skies.

He had Phil Mustard caught on the pull by David Wainwright at mid-wicket to leave Durham 28-1 in the fourth over.

After Ben Sanderson had Ian Blackwell caught at long-on by Andrew Gale, Pyrah struck again when Gordon Muchall also picked out Wainwright at mid-wicket.

Pyrah then reduced Durham to 39-4 in the eighth over when Paul Collingwood spooned high to Rashid at mid-off, who judged a steepling catch to perfection.

Pyrah’s first spell was 3-15 from three overs, after which Durham mounted a spirited revival.

David Miller (54) and Dale Benkenstein (33) added 77 for the fifth wicket in nine overs before Pyrah returned to get rid of Benkenstein, bowled trying to pull high over mid-wicket.

Pyrah claimed his fifth wicket when he had Gareth Breese caught behind for a golden duck and almost bagged a hat-trick only for Liam Plunkett to get an inside-edge.

His figures were the joint eighth-best in domestic Twenty20 and continued his splendid form in all competitions, with Pyrah having been one of the leading lights in a gloomy season.

Miller played an attractive hand for Durham, nudging intelligently and driving sweetly, on his way to fifty from 40 balls.

The South African – who only landed at Leeds-Bradford airport at 8.30 yesterday morning after playing for his country’s A team in Zimbabwe – fell to the next ball he faced, caught by Gary Ballance at backward-point off Rashid.

Durham lost their eighth wicket off the last ball of the innings when Plunkett was run-out by Pyrah – who else? – after trying to complete a second run to long-on.

The visitors’ total looked short of par, although it represented a decent recovery considering they had been 41-4 off eight overs.

Yorkshire made a good start in reply as Gale and Joe Sayers added 42 for the first-wicket inside five overs.

Sayers, who ironically cannot get a game in the County Championship at the moment but is pretty much a regular in Twenty20, produced the shot of the day when he launched former Yorkshire pace bowler Mitch Claydon for six over extra-cover on to the popular bank.

Sayers also lofted Claydon for six over mid-wicket just wide of the West Stand as Yorkshire made purposeful use of the power play overs.

Sayers had scored 20 from 11 balls when he drove Paul Collingwood powerfully to cover, where Breese took the first of four individual catches.

Gale hit successive deliveries from Plunkett for six over mid-wicket, four through mid-off and four through mid-wicket before skying the next ball to mid-off, the captain making 34 from 19 deliveries.

Yorkshire lost their way a touch when Gerard Brophy was caught at slip for a golden duck, Adam Lyth held at mid-off and Jonny Bairstow caught at mid-wicket, the home side slipping to 83-5 in the 12th over.

Rashid was bowled carving across the line with the total on 115 but the rapidly-improving Ballance played another fine hand, steering Yorkshire towards their target with impressive certainty.

Ballance was caught behind two runs short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century before Pyrah and David Wainwright were left in the middle to finish the job.

Pyrah was the one who won the match with a six over long-on off Claydon towards the newly-refurbished Tea Room.