Rudolph record as Yorkshire draw Bears in semis (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rudolph record as Yorkshire draw Bears in semis

12:18pm Sunday 5th September 2010 in

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Jacques Rudolph says he is a “proud man” after breaking a Yorkshire record for the amount of runs scored over the course of a one-day league season.

The South African surpassed the county’s previous best of 753, set by Darren Lehmann in 2001, during Saturday’s seven-wicket defeat to Essex in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

The result was academic, given the fact that the Tykes had already qualified for the semi-finals, but it does mean they will now take on Warwickshire for a place in the final, having lost only their second game in this year’s competition.

“To be honest, I was not aware that I had broken the record,” said a typically modest Rudolph after top-scoring with 59 to help Yorkshire post 209-8.

“I do not normally read too much into records but it is obviously a nice feeling.”

Despite Rudolph’s efforts, the Tykes total looked at least 30 runs short at the halfway stage and a blistering opening partnership between Alastair Cook and Mark Pettini soon confirmed that Essex’s bowling display had put them in charge.

Chasing the win that kept alive their own hopes of a Lord’s final, the duo put on 161 to effectively end the contest.

This was against a Yorkshire attack deprived of Ajmal Shahzad, who was a late call-up to the England squad for yesterday’s Twenty20 international against Pakistan.

It meant that by the time Pettini was finally ousted by Ben Sanderson for 82, the Eagles needed just 49 more runs to win from more than 11 overs.

David Wainwright did then trap Grant Flower lbw for a golden duck but Cook continued in ominous style to complete his first century of the summer for Essex in one-day cricket.

By the end he was unbeaten on 101 to make sure that the Eagles hit the winning runs with 21 balls to spare.

The victory ensured that Essex qualified for the semi-finals alongside Yorkshire but the chance of a rematch in Saturday’s showdown at Scarborough was dashed when Warwickshire were drawn as the Tykes’ opponents instead, with Essex travelling to face Somerset at Taunton.