Yorkshire Vikings bow out in Twenty20 Cup bid (From Gazette & Herald)

Yorkshire Vikings bow out in Twenty20 Cup bid

10:03am Monday 18th March 2013 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

Yorkshire were beaten semi-finalists in the Barbados Twenty20 Cup at the Kensington Oval last night.

Andrew Gale’s side lost to Nottinghamshire by five wickets as they failed to defend 128-7 in a tight contest. All-rounder Steven Mullaney proved to be the match-winner for the Outlaws with a brisk half-century.

Yorkshire’s defence of their pre-season Caribbean title had got off to an emphatic start on Saturday with a seven-wicket win over English domestic champions Hampshire in a re-run of last August’s Friends Life t20 final.

Ryan Sidebottom, Liam Plunkett and Moin Ashraf took two wickets apiece to restrict Hampshire to 112-6 after being invited to field before skipper Gale underpinned the chase with an unbeaten 43 off 51 balls.

The Vikings then lost wickets regular after electing to bat against Notts, and had to rely on 36 from Phil Jaques to get them a defendable total.

But, despite the early departures of England openers Alex Hales and Michael Lumb, the Trent Bridge side crept over the line. Adam Lyth’s part-time spin accounted for two wickets.

Yorkshire play a brace of two-day matches against Northamptonshire and Notts this week.