Scorecard Match centre Twitter
Scotland spinner Mark Watt claimed four cheap wickets amidst a costly Yorkshire collapse as they lost their Vitality Blast clash with Derbyshire by five wickets at Chesterfield.
The Vikings slipped from 31-0 in the fourth over to 77-6 in the 12th after electing to bat on a used pitch.
They ended with 164-8 as Jordan Thompson smashed five sixes in a brilliant 50 off 27 balls – his maiden half-century in first-team cricket – and Jonny Tattersall added a composed 39 not out.
But it still wasn’t enough as the Falcons clinched a fifth straight North Group win over Yorkshire at all venues, with captain and opener Billy Godleman anchoring their chase with 70 not out off 56.
Matthew Fisher left the field after bowling only one over having suffered a right shoulder injury whilst fielding in the deep.
The Vikings were hoping to put the frustration of last night’s washed out opener against Nottinghamshire behind them and got off to the perfect start when Adam Lyth swept the first ball of the match for six off Darren Stevens’ medium pace.
West Indies overseas debutant Nicholas Pooran also pulled his first ball for six, but coming in at 63-5 after 10 overs the bulk of the damage had been done.
On his T20 debut for the Falcons, left-armer Watt (4-19) trapped David Willey lbw, had Harry Brook caught at short cover, bowled Gary Ballance as he attempted a reverse paddle and had Pooran, for 12, caught at long-off.
When Pooran, who had pulled leg-spinner Matt Critchley for six, departed, the Vikings were 77-6.
Earlier, Lyth hit 21, which took him one run clear of Andrew Gale as the county’s all-time leading T20 run-scorer (2,261).
Lyth was the first man to go when he uppercut Ravi Rampaul to third-man in the fourth over before Tom Kohler-Cadmore played on to New Zealand overseas seamer Logan van Beek’s first ball in the next, leaving Yorkshire at 36-2.
After the collapse instigated by Watt, Thompson, who was fabulous, and Tattersall shared 66 inside seven overs to revive the innings.
Thompson was particularly strong down the ground and on the pull.
He reached his fifty off 26 balls, only to fall the next ball as he top-edged van Beek behind in the search for more quick runs in the 19th over.
Willey had Fynn Hudson-Prentice caught at cover by Kohler-Cadmore in the first over (8-1) of Derbyshire’s chase, but Yorkshire were dealt a blow when Fisher suffered a right shoulder injury diving to stop a boundary at wide long-on.
Luis Reece (19) and Godleman took the score to 46-1 after four, only for Dom Bess to trap the former lbw sweeping with his first ball in the fifth.
Bess later trapped Wayne Madsen lbw (67-3 in the eighth) as the hosts moved to 81-3 after 10.
When Godleman, who hit a one-day century against Yorkshire in a tie at Emerald Headingley earlier this season, reached a 36-ball fifty including three sixes, Derbyshire were 106-3 after 13, needing 57 more.
By this time, Godleman was in partnership with South African Leus du Plooy, sharing 65.
And despite him hitting Bess for two leg-side sixes in the 16th, the game tightened up to 137-5 in the 18th when Thompson had du Plooy (30) caught at short third-man and Lyth bowled Stevens.
But 19 off the last two overs became four off the last as Thompson went for 15.
Yorkshire face Leicestershire at Grace Road on Tuesday.
Turning point – Thompson’s Trent Boult moment in the 13th over which reprieved Godleman.
Delivery or shot of the match – Godleman’s fourth six high over wide long on in the 18th over.
Unsung hero – Logan van Beek bowled skillfully to take two wickets for only 22 in four overs.
What’s next – Yorkshire play at Leicester on Tuesday while Derbyshire travel to Edgbaston on Wednesday.
Yorkshire confirmed after the game that Fisher has dislocated his right shoulder and will see a specialist.
Vikings skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore said: “I think credit where credit’s due, Billy (Godleman) played a beautiful innings on a tricky pitch.
“At the halfway stage we were in a great position but at every key moment he managed to hit a six or a boundary off the last ball of an over or the start of an over to put the pressure back on us.
“When we were assessing the pitch we said 160 would be a good score and we would be right in the game and we were but I think to be fair they just played a bit better than us.”
Falcons skipper Billy Godleman said: It was difficult at times and I was the one fortunate enough to bat through the innings today but I had some really important support.
“Watty (Mark Watt) bowled fantastically well, for me as captain it’s like having three bowlers in one. He can bowl in the power-play if needed, he’s excellent through the middle and at times if we needed a different death option I could always turn to him.
“The North Group is very hard, there are tough games each week and I think it’s important we enjoy 24 to 48 hours getting away from the game which is important when they come thick and fast and then come back and try to make incremental improvements on how we’ve played previously.”
