McGrath century in vain for Yorkshire (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

McGrath century in vain for Yorkshire

9:22pm Friday 20th March 2009 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

Anthony McGrath hit a century but his Yorkshire side stumbled to their first Pro ARCH Trophy loss against Middlesex in Abu Dhabi tonight.

The White Rose captain amassed a 108-ball 101, while Michael Vaughan continued his good form with 46 and Ajmal Shahzad walloped 24 off just 11 balls to help post a respectable 263 for nine from 50 overs.

But South African master blaster Tyron Henderson crunched 77 off 41 balls to give Middlesex a two-wicket win with one ball to spare.

McGrath, who won the toss and elected to bat at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, came to the crease with his side struggling at 30 for two.

But he shared a third-wicket stand of 85 in 17 overs with Vaughan to steady the ship and lay a platform for later in the innings.

Vaughan, a centurion himself against Surrey earlier in the week, was caught behind by Jon Simpson off a ball that just shaped away from Gareth Berg.

Chris Taylor and Gerard Brophy both played encouraging knocks, 22 off 40 balls and 21 off 20, respectively.

But the Tykes were struggling when McGrath was bowled by Danny Evans (3-41 from ten overs) to leave them 216 for five in the 47th. But that was when pace ace Shahzad entered the fray to hit two sixes in his whirlwind effort.

“It was good to get in and spend time at the crease,” said McGrath.

“I had one eye on spending time in the middle, but the other is on trying to set up a decent score.”

It was nip and tuck all the way in the chase, as Yorkshire bowled and fielded well early on.

Billy Godleman gave Middle-sex hope with a useful 46, but a wicket each for Shahzad and Deon Kruis, plus a run out, just gave the White Rose the edge with the men in pink at 116 for three in the 30th.

Kruis claimed his second wicket, that of wicketkeeper Jon Simpson caught at mid-wicket by McGrath, to really give Yorkshire the edge.

But there was always going to be the matter of big hitting IPL star Henderson, who is here warming up for the Twenty20 jamboree.

When he came to the crease his side needed 112 off 76 balls at a rate of 8.8 runs per over.

Lee Hodgson (3-52), making his debut for the county, grabbed the wickets of Dawid Malan (47) and Berg in consecutive balls to reduce the score to 181 for six in the 41st.

But it did not seem to matter because Henderson smoked four sixes and six fours in all.

Yorkshire play the United Arab Emirates here on Sunday.