Contrasting half-centuries from Adam Lyth and James Wharton and Matthew Fisher’s 3-25 were not enough as Yorkshire lost to Somerset in a thrilling third-place play-off in the Abu Dhabi Counties Super Cup today.
The Vikings played the Vitality Blast champions for the second time in three days, and for a long time looked set to secure a second successive victory, only for the Taunton side to chase down a 199 target off the last ball to win by three wickets.
Tom Abell was their star with 89 not out off 51 balls, while captain Ben Green helped him take 18 off Mickey Edwards in a final over which went for four boundaries.
With two needed off the last ball at the Tolerance Oval, Green squeezed Edwards’ seam out to the deep square-leg boundary to leave the Vikings finishing fourth in the six-team competition with one win and two defeats.
Captain Jonny Tattersall elected to bat having won the toss on a pitch with good pace, and Yorkshire’s 198-5 was a commanding total.
Opener Lyth struck the ball cleanly in a 30-ball 62 with five sixes, while Wharton was equally impressive but much more inventive from number three en-route to 54 off 38 with three sixes.
Picture by Ian Roman/Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports hub. Adam Lyth on the charge against Somerset.
Matthew Revis also contributed a useful unbeaten 35 off 25 late on.
Harry Duke fell in the second over, caught behind off Jake Ball, who claimed 3-27 and was the pick of an eight-man Somerset attack including a number of youngsters.
Batting all-rounder Archie Vaughan was one of them – the son of Michael, who bowls off-spin just like his dad did.
Yorkshire’s innings took flight in the fifth and seventh overs from former England Under 19s seamer Kasey Aldridge, who conceded 27 and then 18.
Lyth hoisted him for two eye-catching cover driven sixes in the fifth over, reaching his fifty off 22 balls.
After Lyth fell caught at long-on having miscued a full toss from the off-spin of Fin Hill, one of Somerset’s Academy players, Wharton took on the lead role from 95-2 in the ninth.
Picture by Ian Roman/Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports hub. James Wharton had success with invention at the Tolerance Oval.
He found the reverse down to third very productive. They were more hits than sweeps, and he picked up a six off Green’s seam with one. He later delicately reverse scooped the same bowler for a boundary in reaching his fifty off 30 balls.
Lyth and Wharton had shared 81 inside seven overs for the second wicket, advancing from 14-1 in the second.
After Wharton fell caught at deep square-leg off Ball – 175-4 in the 18th – Revis finished off the innings with his useful contribution, including back-to-back boundaries off Ball in the last over.
Fisher then trapped James Rew lbw in the first over of the Somerset reply, but Vaughan steadied them with 35 off 28 balls.
A tall and wiry 18-year-old Academy player yet to make his competitive first-team debut, Vaughan hit Edwards for a couple of sixes and a four in the fourth over, taking his side to 37-1.
But he skewed Revis (1-13 from two overs) to backward point in the eighth over, as the score fell to 62-2.
Picture by Ian Roman/Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports hub. Somerset Academy batting all-rounder Archie Vaughan, the Yorkshire-born son of Michael.
Matt Milnes had Josh Thomas caught at deep mid-wicket shortly after, leaving Somerset at 82-3 after 10 overs and with significant work to do to reach their target.
Former captain Abell, a regular on the T20 franchise circuit, kept the Taunton side in it with his half-century, reached off 34 balls. But the Vikings kept their noses in front. Unfortunately, things were about to change.
However, not before Dan Moriarty had trapped Aldridge lbw reverse sweeping and Milnes returned to get George Thomas caught behind – 136-5 in the 16th over.
Abell hit four fours off Jafer Chohan in the 17th, an over which breathed life into their chances. And they went into the final two overs needing 27 at 172-5.
Fisher enjoyed success in the penultimate, getting Hill caught at deep mid-wicket and Davey caught behind (176-7).
However, Abell and Green completed the turnaround in a final over which saw four fours and two wides bowled by Edwards.
Yorkshire are back in action on Wednesday and Thursday in a two-day game against Warwickshire before returning to Headingley on Friday morning.
Picture by Ian Roman/Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports hub. Matthew Fisher was the pick of Yorkshire’s bowlers.
