Half-centuries from skipper Andrew Gale and Anthony McGrath, followed by a four-wicket haul for Richard Pyrah, whose sharp fielding was responsible for two run-outs, brought Yorkshire Carnegie victory by 23 runs over Gloucestershire Gladiators at Headingley Carnegie.

The splendid all-round performance made it eight wins out of nine for Yorkshire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 B Group to leave them four points clear at the top of the table and move them a giant step closer to a place in the semi-finals.

Winning the toss, Yorkshire got off to a cracking start in this day-night encounter with Gale dominating his opening stand of 76 in 12 overs with Jacques Rudolph.The partnership was broken by former Yorkshire off-spinner, Richard Dawson, who bowled Rudolph for 14, and another ex-Tyke was also responsible for the departure of Gale for 61 from 62 balls with six fours and two sixes. Steven Kirby, fielding at short third man, broke the stumps with a direct hit when Anthony McGrath went for a single and Gale could not make his crease in time.

After a careful start, McGrath blossomed and he had moved on to 76 from 80 balls with seven fours when he was caught in the deep by Dawson off Kirby.

Yorkshire were contained by the spinners for a while but they boosted their scoring rate once the pacemen returned and Gerard Brophy (33), Jonny Bairstow (23 not out) and Tim Bresnan (14 not out) all made significant contributions.

Like Yorkshire had done, Gloucestershire made positive progress early on as captain Alex Gidman and Will Porterfield piled up 76 in 12 overs for the first wicket and it was Pyrah who made the breakthrough by having Gidman caught by McGrath at mid-on for 48 with seven fiercely struck fours and a six.

Pyrah bowled James Franklin in his next over but Porterfield and Hamish Marshall added 50 in ten overs before Adil Rashid played an important part by drawing Porterfield down the pitch and having him smartly stumped by Brophy for 53 from 72 deliveries with five fours and a six.

Pyrah pressed home Yorkshire’s advantage by getting rid of Chris Taylor and Stephen Snell in the space of four balls and it signalled the end for Gloucestershire when Marshall, who had just two boundaries in his 53, was bowled by Bresnan.

Ed Young batted well for his 25 before being run out by Pyrah and Yorkshire quickly worked their way through the tail, the last wicket falling with eight balls remaining when Pyrah’s pinpoint accuracy accounted for Anthony Ireland.

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire Carnegie currently sit 2 points clear of an inform Gloucestershire Gladiators in their CB40 division but the Gladiators have a game in hand. That means that this evening's floodlit 40-over match is vital to both team's chances of progressing into the Semi-Finals.

Andrew Gale's side have been in tremendous touch in this year's competition and a continuation of these winning ways could yet see Carnegie in a Lord's Final come September.

YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE SQUAD

Andrew GALE (capt), Jacques RUDOLPH, Adam LYTH, Jonathan BAIRSTOW, Anthony McGRATH, Gerard BROPHY, Tim BRESNAN, Ajmal SHAHZAD, Adil RASHID, Richard PYRAH, Steve PATTERSON, David WAINWRIGHT and Tino BEST

GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLADIATORS SQUAD

A.Gidman (capt), W.Porterfield, J.Franklin, H.Marshall, C Taylor, C.Dent, S.Snell (wk), E.Young, R.Dawson, J.Lewis, A.Ireland, S.Kirby and J Taylor

MATCH INFORMATION