Yorkshire suffer dramatic two-run defeat (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Yorkshire suffer dramatic two-run defeat

10:31pm Friday 15th June 2012 in Sport By Sports Desk

Yorkshire’s hopes of making a major impression on this summer’s FLt20 competition suffered an opening-night setback after they were unable to chase down a modest total and slumped to a final-over defeat to Durham Dynamos.

Chasing an under-par 142-6, Yorkshire’s strong batting unit collapsed to the accurate seam bowling of Graham Onions and Chris Rushworth and slipped to 42-5 inside the first eight overs, only to recover following a 57-run sixth-wicket stand between Richard Pyrah and Gerard Brophy.

Playing his first senior match since breaking his hand in the opening championship match against Kent in April, Pyrah’s aggressive 34 off 25 balls appeared to have put Carnegie firmly on course for victory and left them needing 23 from their final three overs.

The match turned on an impressive display from Scott Borthwick, Durham’s young leg-spinner, who halted Yorkshire’s impetus by dismissing Brophy, bowled around his legs, for a useful 32 and then knocking out Mitchel Starc’s leg and off-stumps with his next delivery.

Yorkshire recovered through Azeem Rafiq, whose wristy strokeplay ensured they required 14 off the last over to be bowled by Borthwick.

Rafiq hit the first ball of the final over for a straight six and was angry when the penultimate ball, which he left as it passed by outside off-stump, was not called for a wide.

It meant he needed to hit the final ball for four to win a remarkable game but he was only able to scramble a single and Yorkshire’s campaign, which continues on Sunday against Leicestershire at Headingley, has begun with a two-runs defeat.

Yorkshire deserve some credit for restricting Durham to their modest total after Phil Mustard, Dynamos’ captain, and Ben Stokes threatened to see them to a formidable total.

Their early hitting guided their side to 49-1 at the end of the six overs of power play fielding restrictions.

Moin Ashraf, the 20-year-old seamer from Bradford, perhaps wanted to prove a point after being overlooked from Yorkshire’s championship line-up, and claimed 2-28 and also took a brilliant diving catch at mid-off to remove the dangerous Dale Benkenstein.