Andrew Gale (70) and Phil Jaques (48) set the tone with a Yorkshire record opening stand of 116 as the Tykes opened their FLt20 account with a 22-run win against reigning champions Leicestershire Foxes at Headingley.

Skipper Gale won the toss and was chiefly responsible for seeing his side to a total of 170-4 and the opening stand beat a partnership of 104 between Gale and Jaques Rudolph against the same opposition at Grace Road in 2009.

Gale’s innings took only 42 balls and he hit 6 fours and 3 sixes with some sweet timing and characteristic pugnacity. Jaques was a little more measured, his innings taking 41 deliveries with 5 fours and a six off Matthew Hoggard which was caught by Jonny Bairstow over the ropes at long-off as he sprang from his seat in the dugout. Bairstow now returns to the England ODI squad.

Yorkshire began to motor as Gale collected 2 fours and a sx which he picked up off his legs and deposited into the East Stand in some style as the first fifty appeared on the board inside the first six Powerplay overs.

The hundred stand came in 69 balls, but then a series of excellent boundary catches stole back the momentum. Jaques was caught by Jacques du Toit on the midwicket boundary off Rob Taylor and Josh Cobb grabbed the catch at long-off to get rid of Gale to give Hoggard his only wicket.

Bairstow hit a quick 17 including a huge straight six off Taylor, but he was caught in the deep by Taylor off Wayne White and Gary Ballance was snatched by Cobb at long-on next ball.

It was left to South African new boy David Miller, 30 in 20 balls, to play some exquisitely powerful shots to boost Yorkshire to a total that was always going to trouble the visitors. Miller pulled a big maximum into the West Stand and drove Abdul Razaaq straight with brutal grace.

The Foxes, led by Josh Cobb, made a strong early fist of chasing the 171 required to take the points. Cobb and Greg Smith added 37 in 5 overs, but Smith played one attacking stroke too many off Richard Pyrah and was well caught by Ballance who ran back and expertly judged a high catch taken over his shoulder at short third man.

Pyrah then held a quick return catch in his next over to see the back of the dangerous du Toit, the bowler’s right hand popping up like a periscope to take a firmly hit drive.  

The key moment came when Cobb was run out for 46 from 28 balls which included 4 fours and 2 sixes. But Pyrah bowled a ball which rapped Sarwan on the pad, the West Indian looked at Pyrah as he appealed, umpire as he declined the shout and ball as it trickled into the offside. He did not seem to see Cobb advancing for a possible run, slipping when he realised it wasn’t there and falling short of his ground as the non-strikers bails were removed.

Sarwan (45 from 32) threatened to steal the show, but Razzaq, Boyce and Taylor all departed as the pressure to score quick runs from the off accounted for them cheaply.

Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf bowled beautifully as yorker after yorker strangled any chance the Foxes had.

Sarwan finally perished when trying to hit Sarwan over the top to be easily held by Ballance and when Mitchell Starc returned to bowl the last over an improbable 25 runs were still required. Starc continued his impressive form for the Tykes to take the last three wickets in his final over.

The last man to go was ex-Tyke legend Hoggard who was bowled to see Leicestershire 148 all out. It was good to see the Foxes skipper getting a warm reception from the crowd on his return to Headingley.

Yorkshire do not have much time to celebrate as it’s straight down to Derby on Monday for a televised match against the Falcons.

There have been some excellent signs over the first couple of matches now Yorkshire need to build momentum and secure back-to-back wins in the Northern Division.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire Carnegie showed a lot of what's good about their t20 game against Durham Dynamos on Friday night, but will be keen to translate good passages of play into their first victory against 2011 FLt20 Champions Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday afternoon.

The Foxes did the double over Yorkshire en route to cup success last summer and Andrew Gale's side know they will have to be at their best to reverse their fortunes this season.

Equally the Foxes have suffered two opening defeats in the defence of their title and will be desperate to get off and running this year.

JAMES BUTTLER
@Yorkshireccc

TICKETS

Phone 0871 971 1222 or purchase in person from the Ticket Office on St Michael's Lane in the Indoor Cricket Centre.

Your county needs you!! Let's get behind Andrew Gale and his team and show them your support on Sunday.

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD

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

LEICESTERSHIRE FOXES SQUAD

TBC

HEAD TO HEAD LEICESTERSHIRE V YORKSHIRE

FOXES ONE TO WATCH

WAYNE WHITE is a talented all-rounder who is enjoying a productive season in 2012. In t20 matches he can hit the ball hard and give his skipper valuable overs. So the returning Matthew Hoggard, the Foxes skipper, will be looking for White to have a good series if they are to retain the trophy they won last summer.

MATCH ZONE