Yorkshire claim victory in Queen's Park thriller

Yorkshire came out on top in a thrilling LV= County Championship fixture at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield. 

Shan Masood played the leading role against his former county with an unbeaten 95 off 112 balls while a run-a-ball 41 not out from Dom Bess helped see the visitors home after Dawid Malan had fallen to the first ball of the day.

Yorkshire needed 65 when Watt removed Malan but Masood and Bess played with composure  to share an eighth wicket stand of 68 from 82 balls to win a gripping contest on 215 for 7

The odds had shifted in Derbyshire’s favour when Watts struck with the first ball of the morning.

Malan tried to paddle sweep the left-arm spinner but only succeeded in lobbing a simple catch to Matt Lamb at short leg.

Given the situation, it was a poor shot by a player of Malan’s quality and experience and put even more responsibility on the shoulders of Masood.

With balls keeping low,, there was little margin for error but Bess eased some of the tension by sweeping Watt behind square for four before Masood stroked Thomson to the cover boundary.

There were more cheers from the Yorkshire dressing room when Bess cut Watts for four and clipped him through midwicket for three but there was an anxious moment for the visitors in the same over.

Masood was on 76 when he missed a sweep at Watt and umpire Chris Watts appeared to uphold the appeal but was only signalling to the bowler to get off the pitch.

Bess drove Thomson through the covers for another four and when Zak Chappell replaced Watt at the Pavilion end, Masood turned him behind square to the ropes.

Watt switched to the Lake end but the target was now under 20 and Masood swept him to the midwicket boundary to move into the nineties.

With 14 required, Thomson replaced Chappell but Bess skipped down the pitch to whip him through midwicket for four and in the next over, he swept Watt for another boundary to take Yorkshire to within touching distance of the finishing line.

With everyone around the bat, Bess turned Watt through midwicket for three and struck the winning blow by pulling a Thomson full toss to the boundary shortly before midday to finally end Yorkshire’s 17 game wait for a red ball victory.

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In 2023, every Derbyshire Falcons home T20 will be played on a Friday night, weekend or Bank Holiday, meaning it’s never been easier to follow the Falcons in the Vitality Blast.

2022 saw a Club-record number of T20 wins, coupled with the Best Domestic Spectator Experience to make the Falcons Vitality Blast campaign one of the best ever, and this year’s promises to be even bigger, with an enhanced food and drink range and added emphasis on accessibility.

Malan and Tattersall took the visitors to a batting point before the latter was caught and bowled off a leading edge by Reece but when rain arrived shortly after 6pm, Yorkshire were already in a strong position.