Yorkshire are finally off the mark in the Twenty20 Cup after victory against Derbyshire at Chesterfield today. The White Rose county notched a defendable 169-5, before restricting the hosts to 158-6 in their 20-overs.

Anthony McGrath claimed the man-of-the-match award with an unbeaten 72 from 42 balls, while he also took a wicket. It was the all-rounder’s 20-over career best with the bat. Mags was one of five Tykes bowlers to claim a wicket apiece, as Tim Bresnan, Craig White, Rich Pyrah and Darren Gough got in on the act.

“We definitely needed this win,” said coach Martyn Moxon. “Had we lost three out of three, then we have been staring down the barrel.”

Andrew Gale hit 25, while Michael Vaughan clonked a best ever Twenty20 score of 31 from 22 balls. But Vaughan is a doubt for Tuesday’s game at Leicester after getting a stiff neck while pulling Rikki Clarke for six. He failed to take the field in the Derbyshire reply.

Gerard Brophy and Bresnan both hit late 13s, while McGrath and Brophy took 49 off three overs in the middle of the innings. Mags walloped four sixes and three fours in all – most of his sixes were straight.

Yorkshire demon Greg Smith, who hit a ton at Headingley on Thursday, looked to have put the hosts on their way to victory with 68 off 42 balls.

But when he was needlessly run out by Matthew Hoggard in the 13th over of the reply, Yorkshire’s first win was almost safe.

David Wainwright could be out for a couple of weeks after splitting the webbing on his left-hand while bowling. It allowed White to gain a wicket with his only ball of the match, that of Wavell Hinds.

Moxon added: “We have now got this win on the board, and hopefully we can follow it up with a win against Leicester.”