Carnegie into Scarborough CB40 Semi-Final

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Yorkshire Carnegie are through to the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40 after a narrow four-wicket win over the Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

The victory was the Tykes tenth success from eleven games in the competition and means that they have also guaranteed themselves a home tie in the last four, which will be played at Scarborough on September 11.

After a good all-round bowling display had restricted the Steelbacks to 204-8 from their 40 overs, half-centuries from Jacques Rudolph and Anthony McGrath saw Carnegie home.

Together they put on 90 for the third-wicket, after captain Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth had fallen cheaply, before Rudolph was ousted for 54 by Tom Brett.

McGrath carried on though - plundering his way to an innings of 70 to help put on a further 91 runs with Gerard Brophy, who made 26, and Jonathan Bairstow, who made 25, before he fell to Andrew Hall.

By this stage the Tykes only needed 11 runs from the last three overs and eventually Ajmal Shahzad finished off the game with a six to record the victory with nine balls remaining.

He had earlier failed to pick up a wicket with the ball, despite an impressive early spell, but Tim Bresnan claimed three wickets, Steve Patterson and Rich Pyrah claimed the wickets of two Northamptonshire batsmen and Adil Rashid claimed one.

It means Yorkshire’s dreams of making a first Lords final since 2002 are well and truly still in tact. Next up for Carnegie is the visit of Essex to Headingley for the final group game on Saturday.

MATCH PREVIEW

Andrew Gale's men are within touching distance of a Semi-Final berth as the group stages of the Clydesdale Bank 40 over competition reaches its conclusion.

Four teams qualify for the Semi-Final stage from the three groups with the best two group winners are guaranteed a home draw.

Yorkshire Carnegie will qualify for the last four if they beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road today (4.10pm start). But the county could still miss out on the knockout stages if they lose to Northamptonshire and also to Essex in their final group match at Headingley Carnegie on Saturday

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD

Andrew GALE (capt), Jacques RUDOLPH, Adam LYTH, Anthony McGRATH, Jonathan BAIRSTOW, Gerard BROPHY (wk), Tim BRESNAN, Adil RASHID, Ajmal SHAHZAD, Richard PYRAH, Steve PATTERSON, David WAINWRIGHT and Ben SANDERSON.