YORKSHIRE clinched their second Friends Life t20 win on the spin by beating Derbyshire at the County Ground by 41 runs last night.
Moin Ashraf played a crucial role in a slick defence of 151 with career best figures of 4-18 as the hosts finished 109 all out.
Gary Ballance had earlier top-scored with an unbeaten 47 off 35 balls, including three fours and three sixes, in a total of 150-5.
The left-hander, formerly of Derbyshire, smashed two sixes in the innings’ penultimate over off Mark Turner, which went for 17. In fact, Ballance helped to take 40 off the last three overs, including 32 off the last two.
Yorkshire were at their most aggressive at either end of the innings, although they were pegged back by ex-Headingley left-arm spinner David Wainwright, who excelled with figures of 2-14 from four overs.
Wainwright struck twice in his first four balls, getting Andrew Gale caught at long-off for 39 off 26 balls and David Miller caught at slip for a golden duck to leave the visitors at 66-3 in the ninth.
Gale continued his impressive form after Sunday’s 70 against Leicestershire, but his departure ensured Derbyshire could apply the brakes. From the end of the eighth over until the end of the 16th, Yorkshire only managed to score 39 runs.
Joe Root, however, brought his usual invention to the crease in his 36 off 39 balls to at least ensure the damage was limited and give Ballance the chance to explode in the closing stages Derbyshire got their chase off to a solid start with 45-1 after the first six overs, the wicket taken by Mitchell Starc.
But Ashraf trapped Wes Durston lbw and bowled Wayne Madsen in his first two overs, leaving the score at 56-3, before Dan Redfern was run out and Ross Whiteley bowled by Pyrah to put them on the rack at 63-5 in the eleventh.
Pyrah also bowled Chesney Hughes and had Tom Poynton caught at long-off to finish with 3-21. Ashraf then had Rana Naved-ul-Hasan caught behind and bowled Tim Groenewald.
The match was preceded by a minute’s silence in respect of Surrey batsman Tom Maynard, who had been killed in a train accident earlier in the day.
Yorkshire first-team coach Jason Gillespie, Root and Ashraf all played with him at various stages in his career.
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