Yorkshire Carnegie staged a remarkable comeback against Durham Dynamos to snatch the points from the jaws of defeat in Chester-le-Street. The 12-run victory under the leadership of stand-in skipper Azeem Rafiq moves the Tykes to the summit of the FLt20 Northern Group.

(Azeem Rafiq led the Yorkshire side as Andrew Gale was injured and did so with excellent results)

MATCH ZONE

MATCH REPORT

Yorkshire Carnegie staged a remarkable comeback against Durham Dynamos to snatch the points from the jaws of defeat in Chester-le-Street. The 12-run victory under the leadership of stand-in skipper Azeem Rafiq moves the Tykes to the summit of the FLt20 Northern Group.

Rafiq, deputising for the injured Andrew Gale (hip), was outstanding in dragging his side back from the precipice. The 21 year-old became the youngest man to captain Yorkshire in a competitive match and the first of Asian origin to do so, but those notable facts were sideshows as he exhibited maturity beyond his years and immense pride.

When Durham were 113-2 after 11.2 overs requiring only 59 from 52 balls to win and with Herschelle Gibbs stroking regular boundaries the Tykes had no right to think of victory for themselves. But it is testament to the belief, team spirit and never-say-die attitude of Yorkshire this year that they took the last 8 wickets for only 46 runs in the gathering gloom.

Gibbs, relishing the challenge against the county he represented in 2010, was motoring, but when Myburgh skied Mitchell Starc to long-on and Gary Balance rain in and took a well judged catch Rafiq and his side held their nerve and discipline.

Durham were 108-1 after 10 overs but once Myburgh went Gibbs soon followed for 76 from 47 balls which included 10 fours and 2 sixes. Gibbs went driving Moin Ashraf to Rafiq at extra cover as the three overs after halfway yielded only 10 runs as Ashraf and Starc exerted pressure.

Ryan Sidebottom then grabbed three wickets as he ended with career best t20 figures of 4-25. Starc finished with 3-33 after grabbing successive wickets to kill the Dynamos off in the final over which the hosts had entered requiring an unlikely 16 to win.

It had been David Miller’s first half-century for the White Rose county against the county he played for last summer that boosted Carnegie to 171-6 in their 20 overs.

Miller belted 6 sixes as he ended 74 not out from only 35 balls and was instrumental in snatching 31 runs from the last two overs, something which Durham couldn’t do later with no one seeing the ball as well as the 23 year-old South African.

Adam Lyth secured a strong start to the Yorkshire innings when he deposited Liam Plunkett’s fifth ball over midwicket for six. He made 30 from 20 balls and Joe Root added 41 off 32 including a textbook lofted drive over extra cover.

Jonny Bairstow's rush up the A1 after being released by the ECB after the ODI was washed out at Headingley to collect only two singles before being bowled by Ben Stokes. But Yorkshire rising international star will have revelled in being back in the Yorkshire dressing room on such a dramatic night.

Miller will deservedly take the headlines, but this Yorkshire team is just that and everyone is contributing. The win makes it three-in-three for Yorkshire and sets up a mouthwatering clash against Nottinghamshire Outlaws, with whom they are level on points at the top of the table, on Sunday in Scarborough.

JAMES BUTTLER in CHESTER-LE-STREET

YORKSHIRE'S NEXT THREE t20 MATCHES

MATCH PREVIEW

A busy weekend for sport sees Yorkshire head for Durham on Friday night bidding to maintain momentum and gain revenge for the 2-run defeat sustained against the Dynamos in the opening fixture at Headingley.

Andrew Gale’s Tykes were unlucky not to open with a win against Durham last week after bowling with their now customary discipline. Were it not for a clatter of wickets in the gloom at the top of the order the story may well have been different. Jason Gillespie though will be delighted at how his team have bounced back from that early disappointment.

Since that defeat Yorkshire have played some excellent cricket in collecting wins against Leicestershire Foxes and Derbyshire Falcons. The confidence is high, supporters too are starting to believe and as they sit in second place the Tykes will know a good weekend’s work will go a long way to securing progression from the Northern Division.

Durham have already shown how competitive they are and Nottinghamshire Outlaws currently sit top of the table after two wins and a no result.

If Yorkshire can turn their current run into four wins in a row by Sunday night it will be their best run since June 2008 and will see them displace Notts at the top of the table at the halfway stage of the group matches.

Sports nuts can choose between the ODI and the Durham t20 on Friday, take a breath on Saturday before choosing between cricket in Scarborough or watching the Olympic torch arrive at Headingley at 6pm on Sunday.

If you choose the latter option there’s the Leeds Rhinos v Castleford match to keep you busy from 3pm. We can all end the weekend watching England take on Italy in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals at 7.45pm. It all comes at once doesn’t it?

Let's hope we're smiling at the end of it all.

JAMES BUTTLER

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD (for Durham and Scarborough)

Andrew GALE (capt), Phil JAQUES, Joe ROOT, Gary BALLANCE, David MILLER, Gerard BROPHY (wk), Richard PYRAH, Azeem RAFIQ, Mitchell STARC, Ryan SIDEBOTTOM, Moin ASHRAF, Adil RASHID, Iain WARDLAW and Adam LYTH.

Andrew Gale is a doubt for the Durham clash after sustaining a hip muscle injury in training on Wednesday. His injury will be assessed on Friday. If he is ruled out of the game Azeem Rafiq will lead the side. In that eventuality Azeem would become the first player of Asian origin to captain Yorkshire and at 21 years-old he would also become the youngest Yorkshire skipper.

DURHAM DYNAMOS SQUAD

TBC