YORKSHIRE survived a stunning 20-ball half century from all-rounder Gareth Andrew to kick-start their Friends Life t20 campaign at the expense of Worcestershire at Headingley last night.

There is still plenty of room for improvement with the bat though as the White Rose failed to hit a single six in scraping to a competitive 152-7 on a slow pitch after Andrew Gale had won the toss.

The running between the wickets will also need to be improved if they are to build on a first North Division success at the third time of asking.

But their bowling and fielding was impressive for most of the time – until Andrew came to the crease with his side at 67-5 and 86 needed off 7.4 overs.

Andrew finished 60 not out off 26 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes, but he could not get enough of the strike as Yorkshire eventually defended 12 runs off the last over.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid led the way with two wickets in his second over – he had only conceded one from his first with the new ball – and Rich Pyrah also struck twice in his first over later on.

Rashid finished with 3-19 from his four overs and Pyrah 4-21, but Ryan Sidebottom showed his experience by bowling a superb last over to Andrew and tail-ender Shaaiq Choudhry.

Yorkshire won by just two runs as Worcester finished on 150-7 from their 20 overs.

To be fair to Yorkshire, batting conditions were not especially easy at Headingley.

That was highlighted by the fact that Gale’s 29 off 15 balls, including five fours, was the highest score of their innings.

But they will certainly need to take a few more risks, both with the big shots and their running between the wickets, if they are to make a charge for one of the four qualification places come next month.

The likes of Jonny Bairstow, Adam Lyth and Gerard Brophy all struggled to find rhythm as a good start – 40-1 inside five overs – was not taken advantage of.

Three wickets for seamer Andrew and two for Bangladeshi left-arm spinner Shakib-Al-Hasan helped to increase nerves inside the home dressing room as they fell to 131-7 early in the penultimate over of their innings.

But that was when Sidebottom and Rashid started an alliance that eventually turned the match – with both bat and ball.

Sidebottom clubbed a couple of vital boundaries in 16 not out off eight balls.

Rashid, meanwhile, nudged and nurdled an important 13 not out off nine.

They added 21 runs in the last eleven balls to gain their side some momentum.

The pair also combined effectively with the new ball as Worcester chased.

Rashid conceded one run from his first over, Sidebottom three from his first and then Rashid took two wickets in his next to reduce the score to 12-2.

He had Moeen Ali caught at short third-man by a diving Sidebottom and trapped Alexei Kervezee lbw within three balls, later bowling Daryl Mitchell.

Pyrah got Vikram Solanki and Shakib in his first over and then James Cameron and Ben Scott late on in the midst of a nerve-jangling finish.

Yorkshire now face Roses rivals Lancashire in a mouth-watering contest at Old Trafford tonight.