YORKSHIRE must win their final two matches to finish in the top three places in the North Group and qualify for the knockout stages of the Royal London One-Day Cup, starting with Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow (11am).

The Vikings sit sixth in the table on seven points, two behind third-placed Notts Outlaws and three behind the top two, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

But they are the only team in the group with two fixtures remaining, including Northamptonshire at Emerald Headingley on Thursday – when Joe Root has been made available by the England management.

And with Warwickshire hosting Worcestershire on Thursday and Notts hosting fourth-placed Derbyshire, who have eight points, it leaves the door open for Steve Patterson’s side.

Fifth-placed Lancashire are already eliminated because they can only reach nine points and one of Derbyshire or Notts have to join Worcester and Warwickshire on 10.

“Lancashire is always a big game – always a niggly game,” said Patterson.

“They don’t like to lose to us, and we certainly don’t like to lose to them.”

The omens are good for Yorkshire, who have not lost a List A match against Lancashire since 2008, winning three Royal London ties in 2014, 2016 and 2017 – two at Old Trafford.

“We’ve done pretty well against them in the 50-over stuff lately, and the T20s as well if I remember rightly,” continued Patterson.

“They’re a good side, but we’re also a good side. We’ve had the better of them in the last two or three years. Hopefully it can continue.

“The T20s the last few years have been the best because we’ve had full houses in at both venues, with the atmosphere superb.

“I don’t think you’ll see that in the 50-over game in terms of the crowd and the atmosphere, but it’s still one the lads always get up for maybe a little bit more than the other games.

“It’s not that we don’t care about the other matches, because we do. It’s just that there’s something about Lancs.”

It will be interesting to see what team Lancashire field given they are already eliminated.

Will they rest a few ahead of Saturday’s Championship match against Essex or will they be intent on knocking their arch-rivals out of the competition?

Lancashire have had a disappointing season so far, although they are just starting to find form.

They lost their first two Championship matches before drawing their next two and then beating Notts last time out.

Then, after losing three of their first five RL50 matches, they have won their last two.

Their inconsistency has been somewhat of a surprise given their homegrown up and comers are alerting the England selectors.

Alex Davies, Haseeb Hameed, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Parkinson all toured with the Lions over the winter.

“You go through cycles as clubs,” added Patterson.

“We’ve had a long period of time going back to when Lythy (Adam Lyth) came through and Rash (Adil Rashid), Jonny (Bairstow) then Joe (Root) and Gary (Ballance), they all came through our Academy.

“Then it was Leesy (Alex Lees), all these people who have gone and played Lions.

“But you’re always going to have a couple of years where it’s a bit quieter.

“On the flip-side, Lancs have had a few years where they perhaps haven't developed too many successful homegrown players and now they are. And it’s nice to see.

“No matter what club you’re at, there’s something special about playing for your home club. I certainly feel it, and I know the rest of our lads do.

“It adds a bit more value to what you’re doing.

“If more counties could do it, it would be for the better.”

Yorks squad: Patterson c, Ballance, Bresnan, Brook, Carver, Fisher, Kohler-Cadmore, Lyth, Plunkett, Pujara, Rashid, Tattersall w, Willey.