Yorkshire CCC knocked out of One-Day Cup ahead of final group game

A six-wicket defeat - allied to Lancashire’s win against Middlesex at Lord’s - knocked them out of the One-Day Cup.

It is 21 years since Yorkshire won a limited-overs trophy, with no real sign of that coming to an end.

As is the case every year, or so it seems, they blow hot one minute and cold the next, struggling to find the necessary consistency.

On a day when "fun day” meant the usual suspects of face painting, a bouncy castle and various arts and crafts, plus the not-so-usual suspects of an animal display that included snakes and spiders (yikes), Yorkshire were bowled out for 184 in 47.5 overs after being sent into bat on a used pitch.

Ben Coad top-scored with 45 and Dom Bess hit 40, both one-day career-bests, the pair sharing not so much a face-painting as a face-saving stand of 75 for the ninth wicket in 84 balls, Yorkshire’s highest for that wicket in games against Leicestershire.

That lifted the visitors from 91-8 in the 29th over after Matt Salisbury and Chris Wright each took three wickets.

In reply, Leicestershire threw away two wickets inside the first three overs, starting their innings with an air of complacency.

The Group A leaders - six wins from seven going into the game - were already through but playing for a home semi-final, which remains between them and second-placed Hampshire.

Peter Handscomb, the former Yorkshire batsman, showed the requisite composure to help them overcome their early wobble, top-scoring with 60 from 97 balls.

Wiaan Mulder, the South African all-rounder, contributed 51 and Louis Kimber 30, the pair sharing an unbroken 49 as the hosts prevailed with 46 balls remaining.

Ottis Gibson, the Yorkshire head coach, whose side face Middlesex at Radlett on Tuesday in their final group match, said: “We never had enough runs to work with, and it was easy for Leicestershire to tick over. It was very disappointing and frustrating.

“We’ve got a lot of young players, and if you look at all the guys who are away at the Hundred, this squad of players represents the best of the rest of what we have at Yorkshire. It’s a learning curve, but I definitely expected a better showing over the last couple of games, and it hasn’t happened, and you can’t hide from that.

“In the tournament per se, I don’t feel that we’ve reached the standard that we set ourselves.”

In watery sunshine, and with a stiff south-westerly blowing across the ground, Yorkshire lost three wickets inside the 10-over powerplay, all to Wright, the 38-year-old seamer. Harry Duke edged behind an attempted cut, Shan Masood nibbled a defensive shot to first slip, and then a driving Will Luxton was bowled first ball.

Bean played around a delivery from Salisbury and was lbw (60-4) before the innings subsided as Yorkshire lost 4-13 to plunge to 91-8 in the 29th over. Wharton pulled Will Davis to deep mid-wicket, George Hill edged Salisbury behind, Ben Mike was lbw trapped on the crease by Salisbury and Matty Revis clipped Davis to mid-wicket.

Bess and Coad, hardly the worse No 9/No 10 around, rallied impressively, playing carefully at first before growing in stature, rotating the strike nicely and taking any available boundaries.

Their stand was broken in curious fashion, Bess stepping outside off stump and edging behind an attempted paddle.

Coad, having helped himself to the only six of the innings, a straight hit off Roman Walker towards the pavilion, was last out when he tried a repeat off Kimber and was stumped.

Coad and Bess were straight into the action at the start of the Leicestershire chase, Bess showing safe hands at mid-on when Rishi Patel got underneath one from Hill, then Coad removing Sol Budinger with the help of a lazy slog and a well-judged take from Duke behind the stumps.

Lewis Hill, the captain, and Handscomb shared 42 for the third wicket to give the innings some kind of platform.

Coad, who bowled his 10 overs from the get-go once again, broke the stand when Hill walked across his stumps and was lbw trying to work to leg.

Handscomb, who largely underwhelmed during his spell with Yorkshire in 2017, advanced to his third successive half-century in the competition, reached from 74 balls with four fours and a pulled six off Mike, the former Leicestershire man.

The Australian would have hoped to see his side home but, with 48 still needed, Handscomb feathered a catch down the leg-side when advancing to Bess.

As the shadows lengthened, with the ground bathed in a lovely golden light, Mulder and Kimber completed the formalities, Kimber launching Bess for a leg-side six and then hitting the winning leg-side boundary off Mike.