Depleted Yorkshire bow out of Champions League t20 after Lions loss (From Gazette & Herald)

Depleted Yorkshire bow out of Champions League t20 after Lions loss

6:40pm Saturday 20th October 2012 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

A DEPLETED Yorkshire side produced a memorable display in the field and with the ball despite losing against Highveld Lions at the Wanderers in Johannesburg today to bow out of the Champions League t20 competition.

The White Rose county had to do without injured fast bowling duo Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf, but almost defended their below par 131-7.

The Lions needed 20 off the last two overs to clinch their third Group 'B' win and a place in the semi-finals, and Jean Symes helped to take 14 off Oliver Hannon-Dalby in the penultimate over to all but seal the success.

Azeem Rafiq was superb with 1-14 from his four overs, while Steve Patterson claimed two wickets and both Iain Wardlaw and Hannon-Dalby performed well.

Symes, however, hit a six and four off successive deliveries in the 19th over as he finished 27 not out off 22 balls as the win was sealed by five wickets with four balls to spare.

Earlier, Yorkshire failed to build on an encouraging start at 41-0 after six overs.

Phil Jaques top-scored with 31 off 29 balls, while Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth hit 21 apiece. Pakistani fast bowler Sohail Tanvir and left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso both took two wickets to help put the brakes on.

Yorkshire, who at one point had to employ first-team coach Jason Gillespie as a sub-fielder when Rafiq left the field with a finger injury, finish their Group 'B' campaign against Chennai Super Kings in Durban on Monday.

David Miller is expected to return to the Yorkshire line-up.