Rich Pyrah gave Yorkshire’s hopes of ending the season in a Lord’s final a massive boost with four wickets in a 23-run win over Gloucestershire at Headingley tonight.

Defending 248, the Gladiators seemed in charge and on course to repeat their performance of Cheltenham, when they had been the only side to defeat Andrew Gale’s men in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

But Pyrah’s regular strikes destabilised the visitors, despite half-centuries from Will Porterfield and Hamish Marshall, and they came up well short in their floodlit chase.

Andrew Gale maturely compiled 61 at the top of the order after winning the toss, but either side of his dismissal coming courtesy of Steve Kirby’s direct hit, the signs were ominous for the White Rose county.

Richard Dawson’s spin had started to drag the Gladiators back into the match, not only dismissing Jacques Rudolph and Adam Lyth, but stemming the flow of runs in alliance with Ed Young, the slow left-armer, and the part-time offerings of Chris Taylor.

With pace not working on a tired pitch, Yorkshire’s decision to name just the one spinner in Bradfordian Adil Rashid suddenly appeared insufficient but he was supported by the guile of all-rounder Pyrah with the ball after Anthony McGrath’s stylish 76 had given the White Rose a score of 247-5 to defend.

Pyrah checked the Gladiators’ progress when he had Alex Gidman caught at mid-on to end an opening stand of 76, chipping in with three further wickets and adding the match-clinching run-outs of both Young and Anthony Ireland.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire’s Jacques Rudolph has been announced as the new captain of the Nashua Titans franchise in South Africa, where the domestic season starts on September 30.

The 29-year-old replaces Pierre Joubert at the helm of the province he has represented since the under-13 category.