Herschelle Gibbs’ majestic maiden Twenty20 century was in vain as Northamptonshire incredibly secured a tie under lights against Yorkshire at Wantage Road.

Chasing 181, the hosts needed 13 off the last ball of the match but Rich Pyrah bowled a waist-high full toss which South African left-hander Nicky Boje hit for six over fine leg.

With two runs also gained for a no ball, Northants now needed five to win. Boje hit the final ball past long on for four, preventing the Tykes from claiming their sixth North Division win.

Gibbs hit five sixes and eight fours in an unbeaten 101 off 53 balls to help his side to 180-3.

He shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 73 in the last five overs with Jonny Bairstow, who finished on 32 not out off 14 balls.

Adam Lyth, Jacques Rudolph and Anthony McGrath all struggled for the visitors but Gibbs reached his hundred off 52 balls in the last over.

Northants openers Chaminda Vaas and David Sales then shared 101 inside 12 overs for the first wicket to bring the game back into the balance.

But Tino Best returned to have Sales caught behind in his second over for 49. It left Northants at 101-1 in the 12th, needing another 80 to win.

Adil Rashid returned a four-over spell of 1-22, claiming the wicket of Vaas for 53 off 39 balls.

Elton Chigumbura then holed out to Rashid at deep mid-wicket off Pyrah to leave the hosts 123-3 in the 15th.

But wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien hit McGrath for two successive sixes in the next over to swing it back Northants’ way.

McGrath responded with a fabulous penultimate over of the match, getting both O’Brien and Hall caught in the deep and going for only three runs.

It left Pyrah to defend 18 off the last but Boje proved up to the task with a little assistance from the bowler.