Yorkshire continue North Group dominance but miss out on Lord's final

The Headingley club continue their dominance of the northern section of the Bob Willis Trophy but finish four points adrift of the showcase finale

Headingley (fourth day of four): Yorkshire 252 & 37-0 v Leicestershire 124 & 161 - Yorkshire won by 10 wickets

Scorecard

Yorkshire wrapped up a 10-wicket victory over Leicestershire shortly after lunch on day four at Emerald Headingley.

The unbeaten White Rose, boosted by Jordan Thompson’s maiden five-wicket haul, secured their third win to go with two draws and moved to the top of the North Group table.

Leicestershire, beginning day four on 78 for five in their second innings with a deficit of 50, were bowled out for 161, setting a target of 34.

Openers Adam Lyth and Tom Kohler-Cadmore completed the formalities at 1.30pm, within 6.2 overs of the chase, finishing on 14 and 23 respectively. 

Though Yorkshire top the North section, it is not be enough for them to reach the five-day final at Lord’s, starting on September 23.

The hosts claimed 21 points to Leicestershire’s three.

Yorkshire did not have things all their own way during a fourth day which started with them eyeing an innings victory.

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All-rounder Thompson, 23, completed figures of five for 31 from 11 overs with the final two wickets of Leicester’s innings.

New ball seamer Ben Coad claimed the first two wickets of the day to finish with match figures of eight for 41.

But Leicester at least made Yorkshire bat again thanks to a 43-run partnership for the eighth wicket between captain Colin Ackermann (47) and fellow South African Dieter Klein.

Klein was dropped twice in the teens on the way to a belligerent 27.

Coad made the breakthrough in the fifth over of the day when Arron Lilley, driving, was caught at fourth slip for 13, leaving the score at 84 for six in the 31st over.

Coad struck again in his next over to trap Ben Mike lbw (92 for 7).

Duanne Olivier was the victim of one of the Klein drops (Coad at long-leg). 

But he was cheered when Klein slashed him to backward point, where Thompson held on as Leicester fell to 135 for eight in the 46th over, a visiting lead of seven.

Thompson’s seamers then uprooted Ackermann’s off-stump - 139 for nine in the 49th - before some lusty hitting from last pair Alex Evans and Gavin Griffiths boosted the target.

But Thompson wrapped up the innings by bowling the former in the 51st over, finishing an excellent breakthrough campaign with 234 runs and 15 wickets. 

The Foxes finish the Bob Willis Trophy with one win, two losses, and two draws.

They were unable to build on a superb opening-round victory over Lancashire in a clash at New Road, Worcester.

Yorkshire will point to the fact that 476 overs have been lost to weather across their three home games, preventing them from pushing for victories against Derbyshire and Lancashire which would have seen them final bound.

Both sides now turn their attention to the Vitality Blast.

They are both in contention to reach the quarter-finals and face each other in the North Group at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road on Friday.

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