Yorkshire Carnegie v Warwickshire Bears: No home comforts as off-key Yorkshire collapse
So proclaimed Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Pyrah on his Twitter page yesterday, referring to the communications of goodwill he has received in response to his nightmare in Northampton on Friday night.
Pyrah contrived to concede 12 runs off the final ball of the match at Wantage Road as Yorkshire were held to a remarkable tie.
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Hide AdAfter bowling a no-ball above waist high which was struck for six by Northamptonshire's Nicky Boje, which counted as eight runs to the total, Pyrah's extra delivery was hit for four in one of the most extraordinary finishes one could possibly witness.
It prompted the Twitterati to rush to console the popular
27-year-old, who has saved far more runs than he has surrendered as one of the club's most consistent one-day performers.
Any fears Pyrah might be suffering a hangover from his unfortunate blunder were quickly dispelled at Headingley yesterday.
As the visitors made 155-8 after opting to bat, Pyrah returned Yorkshire's best figures of 3-22 from four overs and also took a good catch on the long-on boundary to dismiss top-scorer Keith Barker for 35.
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Hide AdYorkshire, however, appeared to suffer a collective hangover as they failed to hit back with a much-needed win.
This time it was the batsmen who let them down as they managed a meagre 121-9 in reply, despite scoring 57 runs during the first six overs of power play.
It was a thoroughly uninspired performance and Yorkshire's sixth defeat in 12 group matches, leaving their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals hanging in the balance.
They remain fourth in the North Division – currently in the last quarter-final place – but their last four games are all away from home against Lancashire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
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Hide AdOn the day that Headingley's new 21m Carnegie Pavilion became fully functional, with the teams changing in the new dressing rooms for the first time, Yorkshire suffered a setback before the game even started when Anthony McGrath was ruled out with a thumb injury.
Gary Ballance was drafted in to replace the former England all-rounder, who faces a fitness test before today's County Championship fixture against the same opponents.
Warwickshire made a purposeful start as Neil Carter scored 21 from 15 balls before Tino Best uprooted his off-stump.
The visitors scored 59-1 during the power play, with Azeem Rafiq's first over disappearing for 19, before Yorkshire appeared to take control.
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Hide AdFrom 71-1 in the eighth over, Warwickshire lost 5-45 in seven overs as the middle-order was blown away.
Darren Maddy holed out to long-on off Rafiq; Jim Troughton chipped Adil Rashid to mid-wicket; Ian Westwood was stumped by Gerard Brophy off Rashid after the wicketkeeper initially fumbled the chance; Rikki Clarke played a nothing shot at Pyrah and was caught behind, before Steve Patterson removed Barker.
Later, Pyrah had Steffan Piolet caught at deep mid-wicket and Imran Tahir caught at deep point as Warwickshire struggled to post a competitive total.
Rashid maintained his superb run of form by conceding only 20 runs from four overs, while Yorkshire's fielding was keen and impressive.
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Hide AdWarwickshire's total looked at least 20 runs short and Yorkshire made good early inroads towards their target.
Adam Lyth scored 34 of the first 40 runs before falling caught behind to Piolet's first delivery, his 16-ball stay including six sweetly-struck fours.
Brophy was caught behind from the last ball of power play as Yorkshire's innings also lost its way.
Herschelle Gibbs – fresh from his superb century at Northampton – struggled for rhythm and was dropped off Piolet at deep mid-wicket by Ant Botha on eight and by Troughton off the same bowler at cover on 16.
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Hide AdGibbs failed to make the most of his luck and was bowled by Imran Tahir swinging to leg before Jacques Rudolph was caught reverse-sweeping as Yorkshire slipped to 81-4.
Only 64 runs arrived from the final 14 overs as Rudolph made 11 from 19 balls, Ballance six from 15 and Rashid four from eight.
Botha followed his unbeaten 26 with figures of 3-16, while Barker captured two wickets in an over late on.
Best thumped the only six of the innings during the dying stages but the horse had long since bolted out the stable door.
DISPLAY OF THE DAY
Ant Botha
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Hide AdThe visitors' left-arm spinner scored an unbeaten 26 from 22 balls and then took 3-16 from four overs as Yorkshire delivered a lacklustre performance.
Friends Provident Twenty20
North Division
Yorkshire v Warwickshire
Headingley Carnegie: Warwickshire beat Yorkshire by 34 runs
Warwickshire Innings
N M Carter b Best 21
D L Maddy c Gibbs b Rafiq 33
K H D Barker c Pyrah b Patterson 35
J O Troughton c Ballance b A U Rashid 2
I J Westwood st Brophy b A U Rashid 3
R Clarke c Brophy b Pyrah 8
A G Botha not out 26
S A Piolet c Rafiq b Pyrah 7
Imran Tahir c Bairstow b Pyrah 0
R M Johnson not out 1
Extras b1 lb6 w10 nb2 19
Total 8 wkts 155
Fall: 1-32 2-71 3-74 4-80 5-106 6-116 7-139 8-140
Did Not Bat: W B Rankin.
Bowling: Patterson 4 0 39 1; Best 4 0 31 1; Pyrah 4 0 22 3; Rafiq 4 0 36 1; A U Rashid 4 0 20 2;
Yorkshire Innings
A Lyth c Johnson b Piolet 34
G L Brophy st Johnson b Maddy 13
H H Gibbs b Imran Tahir 17
J A Rudolph c Carter b Botha 11
J M Bairstow c Troughton b Botha 15
G S Ballance c Maddy b Piolet 6
A U Rashid b Barker 4
R M Pyrah b Botha 2
T L Best not out 10
Rafiq lbw b Barker 0
S A Patterson not out 0
Extras lb4 w5 9
Total 9 wkts 121
Fall: 1-40 2-57 3-75 4-81 5-103 6-106 7-110 8-112 9-112
Bowling: Rankin 2 0 22 0; Carter 2 0 17 0; Piolet 4 0 17 2; Maddy 3 0 25 1; Imran Tahir 4 0 18 1; Botha 4 0 16 3; Barker 1 0 2 2.
North Division
P W L T NR Pts
Nottinghamshire 12 9 2 1 0 19
Warwickshire 12 7 4 0 1 15
Derbyshire 12 5 6 0 1 11
Yorkshire 12 5 6 1 0 11
Lancashire 10 5 4 0 1 11
Leicestershire 11 5 6 0 0 10
Northamptonshire 11 4 5 2 0 10
Durham 12 3 7 0 2 8
Worcestershire 10 3 6 0 1 7