This Yorkshire side never know they are beaten. Fight, power and a ruthlessness is running through every display and again tonight at Grace Road the win by 4 runs was typically plucky.

(PHOTO: Rich Pyrah cracked 35 from 23 balls, bowled four ridy overs and fielded like a demon to claim the man of the match award)

MATCH ZONE

MATCH REPORT

This Yorkshire side never know they are beaten. Fight, power and a ruthless streak is running through every display and again tonight at Grace Road the win by 4 runs was typically plucky.

Yorkshire scored 151-9 after being asked to bat first and Leicestershire always seemed to be in the game, but self belief, excellent fielding and that never say die attitude saw Azeem Rafiq's team across the line.

Moin Ashraf bowled a superb 19th over and Mitchell Starc followed it with a perfect six at the death to seal the win that puts Yorkshire 2 points clear at the top of the North Group ahead of the Roses t20 clash at Headingley on Friday.

Whatever plans you have for Friday night, if they do not involve Headingley cancel them! There is only one place to be as the Tykes seek to continue their fantastic run against their rivals from over the Pennines. Your support is needed like never before!

BUY YOUR ROSES T20 TICKETS HERE

I had wondered when Mitchell Starc lost sight of the ball on the cover boundary in the penultimate over to allow it through to the fence whether Yorkshire had given themselves too much to do. That will teach me for questioning the ability of this team to snatch their fourth win in six FLt20 outings this summer.

With the bat David Miller hit 37 from 35 balls and Rich Pyrah added 35 off 23 as the White Rose posted 151-9.

At one stage Yorkshire were 35-3 after a double wicket maiden from Nathan Buck saw Joe Root lbw and Phil Jaques caught at point for 20.

Miller and Gary Ballance (17) rebuilt in a fourth wicket stand of 39 before Pyrah slammed two sixes in the final over off  Abdul Razzaq to send jitters to the small group of children playing on the bouncy castle just over the mid-wicket boundary.

Pyrah was the only Yorkshire batsman who quickly adapted to the slow nature of the Grace Road track and timed the ball well from the off. Alongside four tidy overs he deserved to pick up the man of the match award from the SKY team after the game.

Leicestershire reached 35-0 after five overs but Yorkshire’s fielding was superb. Razzaq was run out going for an overthrow to Starc at deep mid-wicket and Cobb run out when Pyrah threw from mid-wicket.

Greg Smith was well caught and bowled low to his right by Adil Rashid and the Foxes were 60-3 in the ninth over. Rafiq had Matt Boyce excellently held behind off the bottom edge by Gerard Brophy, but Leicestershire tightened their grip on the game as West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan (39) and Wayne White took them to 122-4 after 16 overs.

But Yorkshire kept fighting. Pyrah ran out Sarwan when he sped to his left to field off his own bowling and Ned Eckerlsey was yorked by Ashraf.

With 9 to win from six balls two runs were snaffled from Starc’s first two deliveries before Joe Root completed the fourth run out of the innings when he hit the non-stikers end stumps from mid-off to see the back of Rob Taylor.

White managed 2 runs from the fourth ball to leave 5 runs needs from the final two, but Starc bowled White and Buck to take the points back up the M1.

You've just got time to catch your breath before Yorkshire Carnegie vs Lancashire Lightning at Headingley on Friday night. The Tykes have the momentum and this is a ride we don't want to get off.

JAMES BUTTLER at GRACE ROAD 

MATCH PREVIEW

Azeem Rafiq will continue to lead the Yorkshire Carnegie side in Leicestershire tonight as Andrew Gale recovers from a hip injury. Galey is progressing well and he will be assessed again on Thursday ahead of the Roses t20 clash at Headingley on Friday - a game he will be desperate to feature in.

Ryan Sidebottom also misses the match at Grace Road after straining a calf in training on Tuesday. He will be assessed further on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury.

Steve Patterson has been called into the squad in place of Sidebottom and it seems likely that Adam Lyth will continue to open the innings instead of Gale.

The North Group of the Friends Life t20 is tantalising poised as all six teams reach the halfway stage in their bid to reach the quarter-finals.

Yorkshire travel to Leicester tonight in search of a double over the defending champions and the points that will ensure they are in top spot ahead of the visit of Lancashire Lightning to Headingley on Friday.

Yorkshire Carnegie have seven points after five games alongside Nottinghamshire Outlaws and Lancashire Lightning. A win over bottom of the table Leicestershire would maintain the feel good factor that surrounds Yorkshire cricket ahead of the Roses t20.

Anyone looking at Leicestershire's start to their bid to retain the title and imagining Yorkshire should easily bag the points should take nothing for granted. Grace Road is a tough place to go and the Foxes have game changing players.

Jason Gillespie is pleased with his side's progress at the halfway stage, but knows momentum needs to be maintained at Grace Road: "Although Leicestershire haven’t had the tournament they would have liked thus far they are a dangerous side. They play well at Grace Road. They are a good team away, but a very good team at home so we are going to have to play some very good cricket to come our on top there."

And Gillespie is full of praise for Azeem Rafiq who continues to stand in for Andrew Gale: "Azeem’s been excellent. He’s a natural captain and it’s great to be able to give him the opportunity. It’s disappointing that Galey is injured but it’s given Azeem the opportunity to captain the side. You have to look for positives and we’ve been able to give experience to a young player."

A Tykes win would be a significant move towards the quarter-finals and provide further momentum ahead of the visit to Headingley of the old foe from across the Pennines on Friday evening.

JAMES BUTTLER

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD

Azeem RAFIQ (capt), A LYTH, PA JAQUES, JE ROOT, DA MILLER, GS BALLANCE, RM PYRAH, GL BROPHY (wk), MA STARC, SA PATTERSON, MA ASHRAF, I WARDLAW and AU RASHID.

LEICESTERSHIRE FOXES SQUAD

TBC