The toss was won by Lancashire who invited Yorkshire to bat first. James Wharton was caught behind in the second over but that proved to be their only success for a further 14 overs.
Harry Duke, opening the batting, continued from his half century in the Roses Championship game at Emirates Old Trafford and completed another half century here from 43 balls, including four fours and two sixes. However, this was overshadowed by a phenomenal innings by Gary Ballance who made 50 from 30 balls and reached his hundred from only 20 further deliveries.
Ballance was finally caught in the deep having made 125 from 56 balls with 11 fours and nine maximums. Yorkshire closed on 237-5.
Matthew Fisher struck twice in his first two overs and despite 46 in 26 deliveries from George Baldersone, they were never up with the asking rate. From eight overs of leg spin, bowled by the Josh Sullivan and Josh Poysden, they could only add 41.
George Bell 40 n.o. and Tom Aspinwall added 49 unbeaten, but they finished on 161-5, Yorkshire winning by 76 runs.
Next match is at Doncaster CC on Monday, start time at 1pm with Derbyshire the visitors. Yorkshire return to the same venue the following day to play Leicestershire with an 11am start.
John Virr – 2nd X1 Scorer
Statistics
– Yorkshire`s score is their highest in the second XI T20 competition, beating their 210-3 at Marske against Durham in 2017.
– Gary Ballance`s score of 125 if the highest individual score by a Yorkshire player in the competition, beating the 116* by Alex Lees at Pudsey Congs against Northamptonshire, also in 2017.
– Yorkshire`s second wicket stand of 169 is their highest in the competition and their highest for any wicket, beating the 150 made by Jack Leaning and Ryan Gibson in the Durham game mentioned above. It is also the third -highest stand nationally for the second wicket in the history of the 2nd XI T20 competition, which began in 2011
