Yorkshire’s one-day struggles on their pre-season tour of Barbados continued yesterday with a 40-over defeat at the hands of Essex at the 3 Ws Oval.

The White Rose county, on the back of successive Twenty20 losses to the University of the West Indies and Derbyshire over the weekend, failed to defend 202 on a good batting track yesterday.

Opener Billy Godleman top scored for the Eagles with 50, and they won by four wickets in the last over. Andrew Gale’s men will now travel to the Foursquare ground today for a third placed play-off game against Derbyshire.

“I don’t think we’re far away,” said left-arm spinner David Wainwright, playing his first game of the tour after a knee injury. “It’s just small margins like extras in the field and losing wickets at bad times.

“I think that’s where we’re missing our experienced players. One or two of them in there, and that result could have been different.”

Yorkshire, who lost the toss and were invited to bat, were in trouble early on at 30-2 having lost both openers, Gale and Joe Root, within the first eight overs.

Jonny Bairstow top scored for the Tykes with 61 off 68 balls, including three fours and three sixes, and he shared a fifth wicket partnership of 68 in 14 overs with Lee Hodgson (26).

Gale, who received a nasty blow on the hand yet took with field with his side later in the day, was comprehensively bowled by the pacey Maurice Chambers before Root was castled by Chris Wright.

Gary Ballance added a useful 35 off 50 balls to help recover from the ropey start, while Wainwright added a late 20 off 14.

Left-arm spinner Tim Phillips was the pick of the Essex bowling with figures of 2-23 from his seven overs.

Essex openers Pettini and Godleman got their side off to a fine start – and, even though Hodgson removed Pettini and Joe Sayers bowled Matthew Walker with his part-time off-spin, the Eagles were still ahead of the rate.

Wainwright, Rich Pyrah and a run out left Essex at 180-5 in the 36th, but Tom Westley saw his side home.

Bairstow was upbeat, saying: “The feeling overall is that we’ve done pretty well today. Essex are one of the more established one-day sides in the country, and we’ve taken them deep into the last over.

“We’re disappointed that we’ve lost, but we’ve pushed a good side deep. Overall we’re pretty pleased with it.”

Wainwright added: “We had a young side out, and they were quite experienced. It’s so hard in pre-season when you’re trying to get everyone a game and get everyone involved. You may not always put your best side out, but it would be nice to win a game.”

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy expects to play today after recovering from ankle surgery during the winter.

Derbyshire lost their semi-final against Lancashire at Weymouth yesterday to set up the play-off game at the Foursquare Rum Distillery ground in the South East of the island.