YORKSHIRE claimed their first victory of their NatWest T20 Blast campaign – with a little help from the Duckworth Lewis method and a returning spinner they released two years ago.

Former one-day captain Azeem Rafiq enjoyed a dream return to first-team action by claiming 2-33 and taking a brilliant diving catch to limit Derbyshire Falcons to an under-par 153-9. It was his first appearance since being offered a new contract by Yorkshire, who released him in 2014, after he impressed for the second team.

Chasing that target, Yorkshire had reached 67-3 at the end of ninth over when the rain became heavier and forced the players off the field with them just one run ahead of the Duckworth Lewis target set for rain-interrupted matches.

Yorkshire’s victory would have been far more comprehensive had they not lost Kane Williamson off the final ball before the rain interruption when he was run out backing up at the non-striker’s end – bowler Alex Hughes deflecting Joe Root’s firm drive on to the stumps.

The match began with a moving minute’s silence, immaculately observed by Yorkshire president John Hampshire, the two teams and the 7,114 crowd, in memory of MP Jo Cox.

England selectors' decision to allow nearly all of Yorkshire’s one-day internationals playing time – Adil Rashid was the only player who was rested – saw them name a line-up that included eight internationals as they attempted to claim their first victory of the competition after three defeats and two rain washouts.

For all the international talent on display, however, it was 25-year-old Rafiq that seized the spotlight by taking a wicket with his fourth ball, the dangerous Chesney Hughes misdirecting a drive straight to cover.

Rafiq followed that by tempting opener Hamish Rutherford into a big drive that was caught by Adam Lyth at deep mid-off. He backed that up by scrambling around from fine leg to backward square leg to take a diving, one-handed catch to dismiss Wayne Madsen off Karl Carver, leaving Derbyshire in disarray at 49-4 after being put into bat.

“I’m really pleased for Azeem,” said Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie. “He had a bit of a tough time with stuff going on away from cricket but he’s got married, he’s got to see the real world a little bit and I think that’s opened his eyes a little bit.

“I’m just pleased that a cricketer that we’ve always thought very highly of has sorted a few things out and found himself back in the professional game.”

Former Leicestershire batsman Shiv Thakor gave the Falcons needed momentum with 30 off 25 balls, including three fours, but no one in the Derbyshire line-up were able to stay in long enough to take them to a more competitive total.

It quickly became clear that it was not a target that would trouble such a strong Yorkshire line-up, with Lyth picking up where he left off last week in making successive centuries against Northamptonshire and Lancashire, hitting two sixes and three fours in his 30 off 16 balls before falling lbw to the leg spin of Alex Critchley.

Four overs later Williamson also fell to give Yorkshire a brief bout of anxiety as they came off for rain before the scoreboard confirmed they were still one run ahead of the required total to claim their first victory in this competition.