Friends Life T20: Yorkshire prevail in tense win over Derbyshire

Liam Plunkett held his nerve in the end

A dominant all-round display from Yorkshire took them to a thrilling six-run win over Derbyshire in the Friends Life T20 at Chesterfield. Although Albie Morkel threatened to take the game away from Yorkshire in the death overs, Liam Plunkett held his nerve and took Yorkshire to a nail-biting victory.

Morkel came out to bat at a critical situation when the required run rate was more than 8.00 runs per over. He and Tom Poynton put on 35 runs for the fifth wicket to inch closer towards Yorkshire’s total of 142 runs. However, Rich Pyrah got rid of Poynton in the 17^th over to leave Derbyshire on the brink at 102/5.

After the wicket of Poynton, Yorkshire bowlers were well on top as they gave away just 8 runs in the next couple of overs. Ryan Sidebottom and Plunkett were spot on with their yorkers which made it difficult for Morkel and Jonathan Clare to clear the fence.

With 32 runs needed off the last over, Morkel smashed Plunkett’s first delivery for a glorious four. The next delivery was wide and the second legal delivery was clobbered over midwicket region for a boundary. He clobbered third and fifth delivery into the stands to reduce the equation to 6 runs off 1 ball. However, he failed to make contact in the last ball off the match and eventually fell short by five runs.

Earlier, Yorkshire were formidable with the bat. Phil Jaques and Dan Hodgson put on 49 runs for the second wicket in just six overs after losing the wicket of Joe Sayers in the fourth over. Hodgson scored 14 runs in the ninth over to help Yorkshire’s score to 70 for the loss of a single wicket in nine overs. However, Derbyshire bounced back with some intelligent bowling and sharp ground fielding.

Hodgson, however, was dismissed in the 12^th over by Morkel for 31. Morkel soon accounted for another dismissal as he got rid of Andy Hodd for a naught.

After the wicket of Hodd, Gary Ballance took the responsibility on his shoulders and played a good innings of 28. But after the wicket of Ballance, Yorkshire never recovered as they kept losing wickets regularly and eventually managed 142 runs from 20 overs.

Although Morkel threatened to take the game away from Yorkshire both with bat and ball, Plunkett held his nerve and delivered a dot ball to give Yorkshire their second win in the North Division.