Yorkshire v Leicestershire: Rashid and Sidebottom both suffer as Yorkshire’s hopes of progress dwindle

Realistically, they must win their last three games and hope other results go their way after an 18-run defeat to Leicestershire.

Yorkshire’s seventh reverse in 13 group matches – and their second to Leicestershire in the space of eight days – left them needing a minor miracle.

They play Durham at Chester-le-Street tomorrow, take on the same opponents at Scarborough on Sunday, and then face Derbyshire away tomorrow week as they look to sneak in through the North Group’s back door.

Yorkshire have not given the impression of a team on a collision course with a place in the last eight.

After winning the toss, they bowled indifferently as Leicestershire crashed 191-4 in a contest reduced by rain to 19 overs per side.

Notwithstanding the loss of an over, it was the 10th-highest total Yorkshire have conceded in Twenty20 cricket.

Leicestershire opener Andrew McDonald scored an unbeaten 96, the fifth-highest individual tally against Yorkshire in the tournament, from just 57 balls with three sixes and nine fours.

It was a sobering evening for Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who returned 4-0-58-0.

Only Matthew Hoggard (65), who missed this match for Leicestershire with a wrist injury, and Steve Kirby (60) have conceded more for Yorkshire in a Twenty20 fixture.

Ryan Sidebottom also came in for plenty of tap, leaking 45 runs from his four overs.

But left-arm spinner David Wainwright – recalled from a loan spell at Derbyshire following a hamstring injury to Azeem Rafiq that could rule him out for the rest of the season – conceded only 24 runs in a four-over spell.

Yorkshire made a poor start as McDonald and Joshua Cobb savaged the bowling.

Sidebottom conceded 18 from the third over and Rashid 18 from the fourth as the fifty came up from just 23 balls.

A good catch by Sidebottom – back after illness in place of Iain Wardlaw – broke the stand in the sixth over when Cobb lofted Rich Pyrah high to mid-off.

Sidebottom took another good catch at long-off to remove Will Jefferson off Wainwright as the visitors fell to 105-2 in the 12th.

McDonald – all sizzling straight drives and powerful pulls – added 52 with Abdul Razzaq before the latter miscued a pull.

Ajmal Shahzad had Jacques du Toit caught at deep mid-wicket by Jonny Bairstow in the penultimate over, Leicestershire’s total given late impetus by Wayne White’s unbeaten 12 from five deliveries.

Left to score a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 193, Yorkshire’s batsmen were always up against it.

Andrew Gale was caught and bowled with the total on 34 in the fifth over, Shahzad going caught behind to leave them 53-2 in the sixth.

Adam Lyth holed out to long-on, Joe Sayers was caught at deep square-leg for a top-score of 27, and Yorkshire’s goose looked cooked when Gerard Brophy – recalled in place of Anthony McGrath – was caught at extra-cover to leave them 103-5 in the 12th.

Gary Ballance and Bairstow offered hope with a stand of 42 in 24 balls, ended when Ballance was stumped to give Jigar Naik the first of three wickets in five balls.

Bairstow made an attractive 25 before picking out long-on – one of five Yorkshire players dismissed in the twenties.