Yorkshire were beaten by Birmingham Bears in today’s Abu Dhabi Counties Super Cup fixture, despite Ben Coad claiming a wicket with the first ball of the match.
The Bears recovered confidently from a tricky start to post a competitive 161-8 in the morning sunshine at the Tolerance Oval. They fell to 13-2 in the third over before all-rounder Ed Barnard starred with 69 not out off 34 balls.
Unfortunately, Yorkshire were unable to fashion a similar recovery having fallen to 3-2 inside seven balls of their chase and were bowled out for 85 inside 15 overs. Over the last two days, they have won one and lost one in the Arabian Desert.
Coad had bowled captain Alex Davies with the first ball of the contest after Jonny Tattersall had elected to bowl. Ben Cliff also struck early, but Barnard later hit the seamer for three successive sixes at the start of an over.
Coad finished with an impressive 3-31 from his four overs, while Cliff returned 2-44 from his four. Each of Yorkshire’s five-man attack struck; George Hill, Dan Moriarty and Jafer Chohan the other bowlers to claim a wicket.
Picture by YCCC. Ben Coad led the way with the ball for Yorkshire today, including a wicket with the first ball of the contest.
However, it proved not to be enough as the Warwickshire side kept their hopes of a title defence alive with a 76-run success. Yorkshire will find out later today who and when they play their final match of the tournament tomorrow.
Will Luxton crashed four sixes in his 34 off 18 balls and took former England white ball pacer Richard Gleeson to task. Noah Kelly also added 24, but seven wickets fell to spin.
Leg-spinner Taz Ali stood out with 4-13 from 3.5 overs – he had three of his wickets bowled – and the off-spin of Rob Yates accounted for 3-13 from four overs.
There were a couple of stages when Yorkshire looked well placed to back up yesterday’s victory over Essex Eagles, especially at the start when Coad made the perfect start by removing England Lions man Davies.
Barnard, however, batting at number five, anchored the recovery through power and invention and was helped out by 23 from youngster Hamza Shaikh. Like Davies, he also toured Australia with the Lions at the start of the year.
Picture by YCCC. Jonny Tattersall warms up before captaining his county today.
In reply, Yorkshire fell to 9-3 in the third over, losing openers Adam Lyth and Harry Duke for one apiece and Hill. Lyth was run out in the opening over before Duke and Hill fell to seamers George Garton and Michael Booth.
Luxton and Kelly then steadied the ship with a fourth-wicket partnership of 51 to renew hope of a White Rose win.
Both men hit Gleeson for at least one six, though were then part of a flurry of wickets to fall to the spin of Ali and Yates as the game went the way of the Edgbaston side.
Yorkshire lost their last seven wickets for 25, slipping from 60-3. Five of those were bowled.
As a result of this defeat, Anthony McGrath’s men are unlikely to reach tomorrow afternoon’s final, though they will find out for sure as two more matches are played later today to decide the final placings.
Picture by YCCC. Ben Cliff claimed two early wickets in the Abu Dhabi heat.
ANTHONY McGRATH SAID:
“Last night was an unbelievable performance first up. It wasn’t quite as good today, particularly with the bat, but that can happen.
“As I’ve said at the start of the tour, it’s about preparation and mixing the teams up and giving everybody a chance.
“A few lads haven’t played out on grass and things like that.
“T20 can be a bit like that. For me, it’s not so much about the result. It’s more miles in the legs and just getting together as a team. Disappointing to lose, but it’s pre-season.
“With the ball, we were very good again. We’re trying a couple of things with the powerplay, and that went really well.
“Jafer has bowled well two games in a row, and Coady was very good as well.
“The performances are nice in terms of confidence, but some people have played twice now and some once, and they will get another crack tomorrow. So, all good.”
