Yorkshire Carnegie v Worcestershire Royals - Swashbuckling Lyth close to record as Yorkshire bludgeon Royals

They were 133-3 and on course to surpass Sri Lanka's 260-6 against Kenya at Johannesburg in the 2007 World Cup.

In the end, they had to be satisfied with 213-7, their highest Twenty20 total.

It eclipsed the 211-6 made against Leicestershire at Leeds in 2004 and was enough to overpower a woeful Worcestershire, who managed only 109 in reply to capitulate miserably by 104 runs.

Yorkshire's hero was Adam Lyth, who smashed a career-best 59 from 24 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes.

Lyth reached his 50 from just 18 deliveries – the third joint-fastest half-century in the competition's history, with Yorkshire wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy still holding the record for his 14-ball effort against Derbyshire at Derby in 2006.

It was only Lyth's second appearance in this year's tournament and questioned the wisdom of his omission from the other six games.

That decision could be explained on the back of a Twenty20 career record that showed just 17 runs in 10 matches at 2.12 prior to yesterday's fixture, but Lyth is Yorkshire's leading batsman in first-class cricket this summer with 853 runs at 65.61 and a burgeoning stroke-player of considerable quality.

Lyth – only recalled because Jacques Rudolph had a shoulder injury – was well-supported by Herschelle Gibbs, with whom he shared a coruscating second-wicket stand of 108 in 44 balls.

Gibbs crashed 40 from 25 deliveries with four sixes and a four after managing only four runs in his first 11 balls.

The other notable innings came from Jonathan Bairstow.

Recalled in the absence of England's Tim Bresnan, Bairstow hammered an unbeaten 49 from 30 balls with three sixes and two fours.

Bairstow lifted Yorkshire past their previous best total when he caned the last two balls of the innings from Jack Shantry for six over cover and four through long-off.

It was an innings that should give the 20-year-old – who has struggled for runs in the competition – a boost in confidence.

Before 2,600 spectators on a golden evening, the initial impetus was provided by Andrew Gale.

The Yorkshire captain struck 19 runs from his first six balls before skying to mid-wicket when it looked as though he might run riot.

Lyth took on Gale's mantle as he delivered a performance evocative of the great Darren Lehmann.

The 22-year-old left-hander treated good balls and bad balls with equal contempt against a side who had no answer to his power and placement.

When Gibbs and Lyth fell in quick succession – the former caught at deep cover, the latter lbw swinging across the line – Yorkshire's innings lost much of its explosive quality.

Anthony McGrath, Brophy and Adil Rashid fell cheaply as Yorkshire were reduced to 185-6 in the 18th over.

But bat remained dominant in the benign conditions and only Daryl Mitchell (1-24) and Sanath Jayasuriya (1-28) of the Worcestershire attack could hold their heads high.

Faced with the very definition of scoreboard pressure, Worcestershire's innings was a non-event.

Steve Patterson took two wickets in his first over – the second of the innings – and Worcestershire fell to 27-3 in the fifth over when Lyth (who else?) took a brilliant diving catch on the mid-wicket boundary to remove Jayasuriya.

Wickets tumbled regularly, Azeem Rafiq and Richard Pyrah each claiming three, as only Mitchell (34) threatened a significant score.

Yorkshire return to action against Nottinghamshire at Headingley tomorrow (5.30pm start) having reached the midway point of their group stage.

Like a vintage wine, they would seem to be getting better.

Yorkshire Carnegie v Worcestershire Royals

Headingley: Yorks won by 104 runs.

Yorkshire

A W Gale c Jaques b R A Jones 19

A Lyth lbw b Jayasuriya 59

H H Gibbs c M M Ali b Andrew 40

A McGrath c R A Jones b Cameron 18

G L Brophy c Andrew b Mitchell 1

J M Bairstow not out 49

A U Rashid c Mitchell b Shantry 2

R M Pyrah c M M Ali b Shantry 11

T L Best not out 0

Extras w10 nb4 14

Total 7 wkts (20 overs) 213

Fall: 1-20 2-128 3-131 4-134 5-174 6-185 7-203

Did not bat: Azeem Rafiq, S A Patterson. Bowling: Shantry 4 0 50 2; R A Jones 1 0 17 1; Andrew 3 0 36 1; Jayasuriya 4 0 28 1; Cameron 2 0 26 1; M M Ali 2 0 32 0; Mitchell 4 0 24 1.

Worcestershire

P A Jaques c Brophy b Patterson 6

S T Jayasuriya c Lyth b Best 10

M M Ali c McGrath b Patterson 1

J Manuel c McGrath b Pyrah 18

A N Kervezee c Pyrah b Rafiq 17

D K H Mitchell c Gibbs b Pyrah 34

J G Cameron c Best b Rafiq 6

B J M Scott c & b Rafiq 5

G M Andrew lbw b A U Rashid 2

R A Jones not out 5

J D Shantry b Pyrah 0

Extras lb3 w2 5

Total (16.5 overs) 109

Fall: 1-7 2-9 3-27 4-40 5-60 6-76 7-83 8-94 9-108

Bowling: Best 4 0 28 1; Patterson 2 0 15 2; Pyrah 2.5 0 12 3; Rafiq 4 0 23 3; A U Rashid 4 0 28 1.

Umpires: G Sharp and J F Steele.