Yorkshire failed to build on Andrew Gale’s blistering half-century as they slipped to an opening night Friends Life t20 defeat at the hands of a slick Warwickshire outfit at Headingley last night.

The White Rose county looked to be on course to get their North Division campaign off to a flyer when Gale smeared a 21-ball 50, including a spell of six fours in seven balls.

But poor shot selection and not enough urgency in the running between the wickets, allied with good bowling and fielding from the visitors, meant that the Tykes could only post 161-8.

And that was after Gale had taken the Warwickshire attack to the cleaners in the midst of an opening stand of 52 in only 23 balls with Jonny Bairstow.

Warwickshire’s Will Porterfield, the left-handed Ireland skipper, then matched Gale blow for blow in recording a 21-ball half-century, going on to score 64 off 34.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took three wickets for hosts, but it was not enough to prevent a five-wicket defeat with 13 balls to spare. Despite the wickets of Bairstow and Gale, run out for 54 off 25 balls after he had hit nine fours and a six, Yorkshire had totted up an impressive 76 runs off the first six powerplay overs.

But things unravelled from then on, with only Adam Lyth and Anthony McGrath passing 20 as they managed 85 from the last 14 overs.

Gale’s power meant that he recorded the third fastest half-century in Yorkshire’s 20-over history behind Gerard Brophy’s 14-ball effort against Derbyshire in 2006 and Lyth’s 18-ball 50 against Worcestershire last year.

Neil Carter and Andy Miller were the bowlers when Gale hit half a dozen fours in seven balls, spanning overs three and four.

However, Yorkshire’s innings unravelled shortly afterwards. Lyth hit 33 and McGrath 28, but they faced 34 and 23 balls respectively.

Twenty20 expert all-rounder Darren Maddy then accounted for the three wickets of Lyth, McGrath and Brophy in a crucial two-over burst to bring last season’s North Division winners back into the contest.

Their ground fielding and catching was superb, highlighted with the last ball of the innings when Rikki Clarke pulled off a stunning one-handed catch at long-on to get Ryan Sidebottom.

Rashid struck in the first over of Warwickshire’s chase, getting Varun Chopra trapped lbw as he tried to sweep a second boundary.

But that brought Porterfield to the crease. And he quickly got into his stride with three successive boundaries in Rashid’s next over.

Notorious pinch-hitter Carter (27 off 20) was surprisingly the silent partner in a second-wicket stand of 71 inside seven overs.

Rashid later trapped Porterfield lbw and had Maddy caught behind with successive deliveries in the 13th over, leaving the score at 116-4.

But it was not enough to save Yorkshire, who face Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge tomorrow afternoon.

David Wainwright and Joe Root also picked up a wicket each.