YORKSHIRE’S top six batsmen must take the blame for today’s failure to qualify for the semi-finals of the Royal London one-day Cup, according to coach Jason Gillespie.

The Vikings slipped to a 31-run quarter-final defeat at the hands of Durham Jets at Headingley as both sides struggled to post a target having been well placed in their respective innings.

Durham, having been inserted, were 178-3 in the 40th over, only to be bowled out for 237 inside 49 as Rich Pyrah took 4-51 from 9.4 overs and Steve Patterson added 3-39 from his ten.

Yorkshire had then reached 133-2 in the 30th over of their reply, but they slipped to 206 all out inside 49, amounting to a loss of their last eight wickets for 73 runs.

“I thought bowling them out for 237 was a very gettable total on this ground, and we got off to a decent start,” said Gillespie.

“But when three of your top six get globes and the other lads get starts but don’t go on....we really needed somebody to go and get a significant 80 plus score. That didn’t happen.

“You can’t rely on numbers nine and ten to get the job done. Our top six, in my view, need to take responsibility for that.”

Only two men in the match topped 50. Durham skipper and opener Mark Stoneman made an excellent 102 off 120 balls, while Gary Ballance hit 61 off 89 for Yorkshire upon his brief return from England one-day duty.

Yorkshire’s innings included five obvious dropped catches, including Ballance on nought when he offered a sharp return catch to Australian seamer John Hastings. It also included a loss of two wickets in successive balls and later two in three.

When Ballance fell to leave the score at 170-8 after 41 overs, Yorkshire needed 68 off 54 balls. Pyrah and Patterson halved that target to 34 off 19. But unfortunately it was not enough.

It was a disappointing day all round as an elderly male member passed away having suffered a suspected heart attack in the stands after three overs.