Wednesday, 26th March 2008

Yorkshire Carnegie go down in Abu Dhabi thriller

Yorkshire just fell short chasing 210 for victory against Sussex.

On a slow wicket where it was difficult to get the ball away Yorkshire Carnegie fell just short in a thrilling run chase. With wickets falling at bad times the lower order found the task of scoring 25 from the last 3 overs too much of a mountain to climb.

Full report to follow:

Latest: Three overs to go and Yorkshire Carnegie need 25 runs. Lawson and Shawzad in the middle after Rashid was dismissed for 31.

150 on the board. It is now 60 runs from 60 balls as we enter the latter stages of the game. Still to bat for Yorkshire Carnegie are Richard Pryah, Mark Lawson, AJ Shawzad, Deon Kruis and James Lee.

Latest: Yorkshire Carnegie 144-4 off 38 overs.

Adam Lyth caught at square leg as he looped his sweep shot, he was looking comfortable on 28 prior to his dismissal as he and Rashid looked to take the score to 150. Tim Bresnan now in the middle for Yorkshire Carnegie. For information, Sussex have 5 out of the ring - deep backward square leg, deep mid wicket, long on, long off and a sweeper on the offside as they look to contain Yorkshire Carnegie.

The wicket of Brophy signals drinks. Gerard took a couple of steps down the wicket but the turn got the better of him, and was stumped by Matt Prior. Score ticking along nicely but Yorkshire Carnegie will be keeping one eye on the run rate in the hope to doesn't start to drift a little too far.

Craig White has fallen victim to his agressive play as he mistimed a pull shot through mid-wicket on this slow track and was subsequently bowled by Nichael Yardy. White put on a battling 40. Adam Lyth now at the crease with Yorkshire Carnegie 90-2 coming up to the midway point. Brophy is on 19. The guys are 20 ahead of Sussex at this point earlier in the day.

Tim Bresnan returned to action after a lengthy lay off with a back injury to take two wickets as Yorkshire Carnegie held Sussex to just 210 runs at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Losing the toss and put into field, Yorkshire Carnegie were impressive and now for the first time this tour, will bat to win the tournament.

Yorkshire Carnegie collectively bowled a tight line which curbed Sussex progress in the early period; indeed it took them into the 20th over to reach the half century mark. They only lost one wicket during this period, however, with Hudd being bowled by Bresnan in his returning spell.

Yardy was run out, as Lawson deflected the on-drive onto the stumps for 39, just as he was looking to pull Sussex out of their slow scoring spell. Matt Prior failed to register as he was caught by Lee as the wicket-keeper looked to turn one round the corner through 45, and as opener Thornvey looked destined to reach his half century, Joe Sayers was sharp at cover to hold onto the drive off Shaizad.

Sussex were left no real alternative but to look to up the pace in the last 20 overs and this started to open up clearer opportunities for Yorkshire Carnegie. Hamilton nearly fell in a similar vein to Thornley, as Joe Sayers did brilliantly to get a firm hand to the powerful drive, but the aggressive batsmen fell short just two over later as he was trapped lbw as he looked to flick Richard Pyrahs ball through mid wicket.

Pyrah struck again to bowl Adams, and while Robin Martin-Jenkins accelerated the score up to the 200 mark, Gerard Brophy was sharp behind the stumps as he held onto edges from Rayner and Aga from James Lee’s and Tim Bresnan's bowling respectively.

The floodlights are now on here and Craig White and Joe Sayers will be walking out into the middle to open for Yorkshire Carnegie as they chase 210 to win this match.

Yorkshire Carnegie have restricted Sussex Sharks to 209-8. Let's see how Yorkshire Carnegie get on when chasing a total now.