Yorkshire’s hopes of qualifying for the quarter- finals of the Friends Provident Twenty20 are hanging by a thread after losing their seventh North Division match against Lancashire at Old Trafford last night.

The White Rose county failed to make the most of their racing start, posting 162-8 after 190 or even 200 had looked on with Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Lyth together in a dangerous second-wicket stand.

Gibbs top-scored with 51 off 36 balls, and he shared 50 with Lyth and 48 with Jacques Rudolph.

The 36-year-old South African also became the first man to pass 400 runs in this group.

But Lancashire’s success in Twenty20 cricket at Old Trafford – they have only lost seven in 34 matches here – has been built around their spinners bowling to large boundaries, and it is hard to argue with their belief that they are the best fielding team in the country.

Stephen Moore’s 59 off 32 balls then underpinned his side’s chase, and they cruised home with five wickets and an over to spare.

England Lions new boy Stephen Parry claimed 3-17 from his four overs for the hosts, while fellow left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan returned 1-29.

New Zealander Nathan McCullum also took three super catches, added to an impressive effort from Kerrigan at mid on.

Lyth had given the visitors, whose returning captain Andrew Gale elected to bat, a flier with five fours and a six in 36 off 22 balls.

Yorkshire had reached 130-3 after 15 overs, but they scored only 32 and lost five wickets in the last 30 balls.

Moore raced to a 24-ball 50 after two ducks in his last two matches, taking 14 runs off Steve Patterson in the second over and hitting Rich Pyrah for three consecutive boundaries in the fourth.

Pyrah picked up Tom Smith with the fourth ball of that fourth over, caught at mid-wicket by Gibbs.

But the hosts reached 61-1 after six overs.

Moore, who hit ten fours and a six, lobbed a catch up to Gale at cover off the bowling of Pyrah in the ninth over to keep Yorkshire hopes alive.

Steven Croft, however, put his side in a stronger position with 36 off 28 balls.

He hit Adil Rashid for six over long on, but fell trying to repeat the dose next ball.

Pyrah later claimed his third wicket when he bowled McCullum in the 17th over. But, with Lancs at 143-4, it was too late.

Paul Horton also added a calm unbeaten 37 not out off 30 balls to seal it for Lancashire.

Captain Gale said: “I think we need to win all three (of our remaining matches) to qualify.”