Gale blasts back as Yorkshire tumble (From Gazette & Herald)

Andrew Gale blasts back as Yorkshire tumble against Derbyshire

11:09am Monday 23rd July 2012 in Sport By Chris Parrott

Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale returned to the Tykes’ side in style yesterday – but it was not enough to stop the county from falling to another defeat in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

After five weeks out with a hip injury, the 28-year-old under-pinned the county’s total of 238-7 from their allotted overs with a well-crafted 51 at Queen’s Park.

However, the Falcons then reached their victory target of 239 with 14 balls to spare in Chesterfield to win by three wickets.

The defeat leaves Yorkshire third bottom in Group ‘C’, with only five points from their first six games.

“I’ve felt like a caged animal over the past few weeks, so I was delighted to get back out there,” admitted Gale at the close.

“It would have been nice to have come back and helped us win the game, though.

“I thought we were a bit rusty and not as clinical as we have been of late.”

His frustration was understandable, particularly as the county seemed destined for victory for much of the contest.

After setting Derbyshire 239 to win, two quick wickets apiece from Iain Wardlaw and Mitchell Starc had the Falcons reeling on 56-4.

That brought the Falcons’ on-loan wicket-keeper Richard Johnson to the crease though, with the 23-year-old proving to be the match-winner by the end of proceedings.

He reached a career-best one-day score of 79 to help his side over the line.

It was a terrific innings from the youngster in front of a boisterous crowd of 2,600, although the fact Yorkshire dropped him on three occasions was also critical to the final outcome.

Earlier, Gale had looked in good touch after missing the last nine games with his injury to reach a well-deserved half-century before being given out after treading on his own stumps.

Phil Jaques and York’s Jonny Bairstow each made 25, with some late order runs from Gary Ballance and Rich Pyrah swelling the total.

They hit 47 and 44 off only 42 and 28 deliveries respectively but, thanks to Johnson’s heroics, it was not quite enough.

The very fact there was any play yesterday was a welcome sight in north Derbyshire.

Saturday’s action at Queen’s Park became the third day in a row to be washed out as the LV= County Championship division two match between the two sides ended in a draw.

Both Yorkshire and Derbyshire came out of the contest with six points apiece.

Yorkshire host Worcestershire in the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals on Wednesday before returning to four-day action at Leicestershire on Friday.