Jacques Rudolph makes history in the absence of skipper Andrew Gale as he leads out Yorkshire from the Kirkstall Lane Pavilion on its first day of operation at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground.

Yorkshire Carnegie would love to have celebrated the opening of the £21m pavilion and media centre with a Friends Provident t20 victory today, but a most disappointing performance saw them lose by 34 runs to Warwickshire Bears in front of a 4,601 crowd.

In truth, they never looked like getting anywhere near their 156 target after opener Adam Lyth had got out - and by the end of their 20 overs they had slumped to a miserable 121-9.

Lyth produced confident shots which none of his team-mates could manage, and he quickly rattled up six boundaries against the opening attack of Boyd Rankin and Neil Carter. He dominated an opening stand of 40 in four overs with Gerard Brophy, but when Steffan Piolet came on as first change Lyth tried to drive his first ball from the crease and was caught behind by Richard Johnson for 34 from 6 balls.

Brophy was stumped off Darren Maddy to make it 59-2, and when Herschelle Gibbs was bowled by Imran Tahir Yorkshire were up against it, particularly as they were without Anthony McGrath, who was nursing a thumb injury.

Ant Botha tightened Warwickshire’s grip by dismissing Jacques Rudolph and Jonathan Bairstow, and with Gary Balance managing only six from 15 deliveries the end was nigh well before Keith Barker got rid of Adil Rashid and Azeem Rafiq with consecutive deliveries in his only over.

Winning the toss, the Bears were given an enterprising start through positive batting by Carter and Maddy, but once Carter had been bowled by a snorter from Best and Maddy had been caught at long-on off Rafiq the five-man attack hit back.

Richard Pyrah more than made up for the 12 he conceded off his last ball against Northamptonshire two days earlier which led to the match being tied, and he was able to boast the best figures of 3-22. Rashid was again right on the money with 2-20 off four overs, and Rafiq restricted Warwickshire’s advance to 155-8 after being roughed up early on by Maddy.

DAVID WARNER

Pictures From Headingley Carnegie: VAUGHN RIDLEY

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD

Jacques Rudolph (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Anthony McGrath, Gerard Brophy (wk), Jonathan Bairstow, Adil Rashid, Gary Ballance, Richard Pyrah, Azeem Rafiq, Tino Best, Steve Patterson, Ben Sanderson and Adam Lyth.