Worcestershire Royals v Yorkshire Carnegie: Yorkshire are out of step again in poor T20 beginning

Certainly, few saw such a wretched start coming for a team who went into the 2010 Twenty20 Cup in encouraging form – sitting second in the County Championship and on top of Group C in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition.

But the grim reality for the White Rose county this morning is that after just two games they are already playing catch-up. Not only that, the comprehensive manner of last night's loss was worryingly similar to the 65-run defeat to Derbyshire Falcons 24 hours earlier as profligate bowling allowed Worcestershire Royals to set an imposing target that Yorkshire never looked like matching.

Carnegie were admittedly not helped by the absence of Herschelle Gibbs after the South African had woken up earlier in the day with a stiff neck.

But, even so, Yorkshire were disappointing and will have to raise their game significantly if this season is not to go the way of so many in the Twenty20 Cup and end in disappointing failure.

A crumb of comfort for Andrew Gale's men is that the extended format of the competition means there are still 14 games in which to make amends.

If that is to happen, however, there can be no repeat of the sloppy start that allowed Worcestershire, sporting their new-Army style kit, to seize the initiative by racing to 64-1 inside five overs.

Vikram Solanki and Phil Jaques were responsible for the explosive beginning, taking advantage of the decision to open with Azeem Rafiq and Clint McKay hit ting 30 apiece from 13 and 15 deliveries respectively.

Yorkshire's best spell of the game came once both openers were back in the pavilion, the mini-revival being triggered by a stunning one-handed catch on the boundary rope by Anthony McGrath to dismiss Alexei Kervezee off Adil Rashid.

The Holland international's exit was followed in consecutive overs by Rafiq bowling Moeen Ali and Rashid doing the same to Daryl Mitchell with a wonderfully flighted delivery.

Any hopes that the tide may be turning in Yorkshire's favour were soon dispelled by James Cameron. The left-hander, coming to the crease at 105-5, set about the visitors' attack with sufficient relish to plunder an unbeaten 51 from 31 balls, hitting four fours and a trio of sixes to ensure Yorkshire would have to chase a total of 200 plus for the second consecutive night.

As with the defeat to Derbyshire, Carnegie started the reply at New Road in brisk fashion with Gale hitting a quick-fire 25 from 15 balls before being caught by Jack Shantry off Gareth Andrew.

Adam Lyth, in for the injured Gibbs, followed suit for a duck with Kervezee's safe hands in the deep this time doing the honours to give Imran Arif his only wicket.

Loose shots then accounted for Jacques Rudolph and Gerard Brophy to leave the visitors teetering on 74-4 before brief respite came courtesy of a sparkling partnership between McGrath and Rashid.

The pair put on 66 in just 6.2 overs with Rashid, in particular,

striking the ball cleanly in a 19-ball knock of 34 that included two fours and two sixes.

McGrath also got in on the act with some powerful hitting but a crowd of around 4,000 knew the two Yorkshiremen were only delaying the inevitable.

Sure enough, Rashid's dismissal in the 17th over was closely followed by that of his partner before some valiant late hitting from Richard Pyrah and Clint McKay at least ensured the margin of defeat was not quite as comprehensive as the previous night.

Man of the match

James Cameron

n Came to crease with Yorkshire scenting a way back but responded admirably to smash an unbeaten 51 from 31 balls, hitting four fours and a trio of sixes in the process.