Yorkshire Carnegie missed the chance to record their first win in six weeks during the NatWest Pro40 League Division One match against Worcestershire Royals at New Road.

Yorkshire Carnegie missed the chance to record their first win in six weeks during the NatWest Pro40 League Division One match against Worcestershire Royals at New Road.

Carnegie looked well set to chase down 191 when openers Jacques Rudolph and Andrew Gale shared 57 in ten overs under lights in their reply. Although they had slumped to 63-3 and later 122-6, South African Rudolph looked comfortable. But, in the 34th over, the left-hander set off for a quick single after playing a reverse sweep off Gareth Batty, and was run out by Moeen Ali for 68 off 87 balls.

Yorkshire still had a chance, needing 34 off five overs with three wickets in hand, but Rich Pyrah’s late 27 off 32 balls was not enough.

Everything Moeen touched turned to gold in the field, with the part-time off-spinner claiming career best figures of 3-32 off eight overs.

Rudolph and Lyth had shared 51 in 15 overs for the fourth wicket, recovering the score from 63-3. But Moeen crucially removed Lyth, Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan, the first two in consecutive balls, to put the visitors under real pressure. Rudolph later reached his half-century off 67 balls, but his side’s chances effectively disappeared when he did.

Seam bowler Gareth Andrew, who had got Andrew Gale, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Anthony McGrath, also completed career best figures of 5-31 from eight with two late wickets to complete a 12-run success for the Pears.

For most parts, a well drilled bowling and fielding display had restricted the hosts to 190-9 after they won the toss and elected to bat first. Had it not been for a wayward last couple of overs from Rana – his last two went for 25 – the White Rose would have been chasing a lot less than 191.

Bresnan claimed 2-47 from eight overs, while Rana, Deon Kruis, Matthew Hoggard and Pyrah all chipped in with a wicket apiece. But left-arm spinner David Wainwright, playing his first game after three weeks out with a hand injury, was the pick despite not taking a wicket in his eight-over spell of 0-23.

Yorkshire made the perfect start after being invited to bowl when Kruis had Vikram Solanki caught behind with the first ball of the match. But Steven Davies walloped eight boundaries in an entertaining 37-ball 46 to help the home side recover.

The innings slowed up mainly thanks to Wainwright until Daryl Mitchell hit a late 46 off 37. Wicketkeeper Bairstow was also impressive behind the stumps by claiming a catch and playing a part in three run outs. But he could not match Moeen’s haul of three wickets, a run out and a catch as Yorkshire were eventually bowled out for 178.