It was their batting powerplay overs that cost Yorkshire an opening victory over Durham at Headingley. They couldn't recover from 42-5 in the 8th over despite valiant efforts from Rich Pyrah, Gerard Brophy and Azeem Rafiq, which saw them fall 3 runs shirt of victory.

MATCH ZONE

MATCH REPORT

It was their batting powerplay overs that cost Yorkshire an opening victory over Durham at Headingley. They couldn't recover from 42-5 in the 8th over despite valiant efforts from Rich Pyrah, Gerard Brophy and Azeem Rafiq,  which saw them fall 3 runs shirt of victory.

Needing 14 off the last over to reach their 143 target, Azeem Rafiq drove leg-spinner Scott Borthwick’s first ball for six. The next ball was driven over cover and as the batsmen crossed for two Ben Stokes was jeered by the home support who felt the ball he had fielded had crossed the ropes.

The two runs that had potentially got away would prove vital as three runs came off the next two balls and when Rafiq left alone a wide ball that wasn’t called by umpire Millns it meant four were required from the last delivery, which Rafiq could only hit for a single. It was poor reward for Rafiq who had batted with real fight.

Richard Pyrah had let the counter attack with his highest innings in t20 cricket which was reminiscent of his attacking Roses Championship rearguard last summer. Pyrah, making his competitive return for the 1^st team after breaking his left hand in the opening game of the season, shared a 57-run stand in eight overs with wicketkeeper Brophy.

Pyrah had made 34, including 4 fours and a superbly timed pulled six, when he pulled Plunkett with some venom straight down Muchall’s throat at deep-square to leave Yorkshire needing 44 from 5.2 overs at 99-6.

Brophy and Rafiq played sensibly to leave the Tykes requiring 22 from the last 18 balls, but Scott Borthwick’s leg-spin accounted for Brophy (32 from 30 balls) and Mitchell Starc who was bowled first ball. Ryan Sidebottom survived a big lbw shout to the hat-trick delivery.

Yorkshire had started their innings in chase of 143 to win as firm favourites, but beneath leaden skies and a deepening gloom they batted in the toughest conditions of the day. That said, Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions bowled excellent opening spells and with wickets falling, the imminent threat of rain and the scoreboard showing Yorkshire increasingly behind Duckworth-Lewis parity the batsmen seemed caught between consolidation and recklessness.

Rushworth took an Andrew Gale edge with his second ball which Gale aimed to cut only to top-edge to Muchall at slip. Debutant David Miller somehow managed to aim Rushworth through mid-wicket to be caught at slip when the angles didn’t appear possible.  Onions bowled Phil Jaques, Mitchell Claydon had Gary Ballance lbw and Onions picked up a second when he ended a promising innings from Joe Root, having him lbw for 14.

Durham had been asked to bat by Andrew Gale. Yorkshire seem to like to chase and with weather interruptions possible at least they’d know where they stood on Duckworth Lewis if applicable. They were 49-1 after the first six Powerplay overs losing Herschelle Gibbs who drove Sidebottom tamely to Ballance at mid-on.

Stokes shared a second wicket stand of 41 with Phil Mustard, but Yorkshire’s bowlers stuck to their disciplines well and were backed up by a young side that was fleet of foot in the outfield.

Mitchell Starc finished with 2-21, Moin Ashraf possibly deserved better that figures of 2-28 on his t20 debut and Rich Pyrah stemmed the flow of runs with the wicket of Mustard and 1-25 from his four overs.

The Champagne Moment belonged to Ashraf who took off to his right at mid-off to grab one handed a short from Dale Benkenstein that seemed destined for the boundary. It was an exceptional catch.

And not for the first time this year great credit should go to Andy Fogarty and his groundstaff. I tweeted in the afternoon on @Yorkshireccc that I was confident of play because I was sat in my commentary box watching Fogarty’s team mop up after each downpour.

The drainage system is now working extremely well so let it be a lesson to you – don’t let the weather put you off attending a t20.

Those of you that were deterred from coming along to this game missed a belter with a cruel twist in the tail if you were supporting the White Rose. Make sure you're there on Sunday to see the Tykes bounce back against Leicestershire Foxes.

JAMES BUTTLER at HEADINGLEY

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE t20 SQUAD

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

This 14-man squad has been selected for the first three FLt20 matches.

DURHAM DYNAMOS SQUAD

Phil Mustard (19), Herschelle Gibbs (7), Ben Stokes (38), Johann Myburgh (4), Dale Benkenstein (capt, 44),Gordon Muchall (24), Scott Borthwick (16), Liam Plunkett (20), Mitchell Claydon (25), Chris Rushworth (22), Graham Onions (9), Mark Stoneman (26), Callum Thorp (36).

Overseas star Herschelle Gibbs, who played for Yorkshire in 2010, and Durham’s latest addition, Johann Myburgh, are both set to make their Dynamos debuts under the captaincy of Dale Benkenstein. Graham Onions returns from England duty.

But Paul Collingwood will definitely miss the trip after suffering an undisplaced fracture of his second metacarpal, which was sustained after a blow to his right hand during Durham’s LV= County Championship fixture against Warwickshire at Emirates Durham last week.

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire Carnegie welcome Durham Dynamos to Headingley on Friday (5.40pm start) as they aim to get their Friends Life t20 campaign off to a flyer. A 14-man squad has been announced.

After t20 success on the pre-season tour of Barbados, the addition of overseas players Mitchell Starc and David Miller to the squad and an excellent week of preparation, there is a huge belief in the Yorkshire camp that this could be their year to shine in cricket’s shortest format.

The ‘hustle’ and energy in the field, the positivity with the bat and block hole bowling ground opposition teams down in the Caribbean. In the tenth year of the competition it is now time to show everyone what Yorkshire can do.

And you can play your part.

Your support has been excellent so far this summer, but it’s time to step it up another gear. Be Andrew Gale’s 12^th Man from the stands. Get along to the games and cheer your team across the winning line.

To win the competition the Tykes need their A game, to retain that belief and a bit of luck along the way too, but one thing is certain they will be giving it everything they’ve got.

Yorkshire skipper Gale said: ““Get right behind us. We’ll try and entertain you as much as we can. We’ll be busting a gut for the White Rose”.

You can book your tickets for the Durham Dynamos match over the phone on 0871 971 1222 or buy them in person at the Ticket Office on St Michael’s Lane (at the front of the Yorkshire Indoor Cricket Centre).

Play your part and drive the team on through the group stages this season.

And don’t be put off by the weather forecast. It’s very rare we lose an entire t20 match to the rain. The drainage system at Headingley is a major plus and we will get play wherever possible.

REFUND POLICY FOR FLt20 MATCH vs DURHAM DYNAMOS

If no play, or fewer than 10 overs of play, takes place at the ground during the FLt20 match v Durham on 15 June then ticket holders will be able to claim a £5 discount for another Yorkshire CCC match day played at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground during either the 2012 or 2013 seasons with the exception of Yorkshire v Lancashire Friends Life t20 match or any quarter-finals & semi Finals played at Headingley Carnegie.

To redeem your £5 discount you must present your ticket to the ticket office at least 24 hours before the gam you wish to come to.

YORKSHIRE vs DURHAM HEAD-TO-HEAD

(matches played col excludes abandoned)

DURHAM DYNAMOS ONE TO WATCH

BEN STOKES is one of the bright young talents of English cricket and to have played 5 ODIs and 2 T20Is before his 21st birthday shows the England selectors recognise his huge potential. He’s a genuine all-rounder who is slightly stronger in the batting department where he can be destructive.

In 2011 he took 6-68 and then smashed a century that included 5 sixes in an over in the Championship against Hampshire. Hindered by a broken finger at the end of 2011 he’s now back and looking to cause mayhem.