Neil Whitaker reports

WORCESTERSHIRE ROYALS lost their sixth Friends Provident t20 match on the bounce as they lost to Yorkshire Carnegie by 104 runs with 3.1 overs left, the Royals biggest defeat in t20 history.

After winning the toss the Carnegie made 213 for seven in their 20 overs their highest score in the t20 competition, beating their previous highest by two runs made against Leicestershire Foxes in 2004.

Adam Lyth top scored with 59, the third quickest in t20 history and Jonny Bairstow hit an unbeaten 49. Skipper Andrew Gale, opening the innings  hit 19 off eight balls including a six and three fours but he fell when he miss pulled Richard Jones and lofted him to Phil Jaques at mid wicket who took an easy catch.

Herscelle Gibbs added 108 with Lyth in seven overs with Gibbs making 40 of them with four sixes and a four.  He was caught on the cover boundary by Moeen Ali off Gareth Andrew.

Lyth was next to go in the next over when he was trapped leg before to Sanath Jayasuriya for 59 from 24 balls.  He hit 10 fours and two sixes.  His only previous innings in the t20 was a second ball duck against the Royals and in his last eight innings in the t20 he has scored five ducks.

Gerard Brophy fell in the next over caught off Daryl Mitchell for one.  The Carnegie had slumped from 128 for one to 134 for four.

Anthony McGrath only hit one four in his 18 and then hit James Cameron straight to Robert Jones at deep mid wicket.  Adil Rashid hit Jack Shantry straight to Mitchell at cover for two.  Richard Pyrah made a quick 11 in a stand of 18 in two overs with Bairstow. 

The Carnegie had an early breakthrough when Steve Patterson had Jaques caught behind by Brophy for five with the Royals on seven.  Five balls later they were nine for two when Ali lofted Patterson to McGrath at mid on.  

Jayasuriya pulled Tino Best and Lyth took a spectacular catch diving to his right in mid air at the mid wicket boundary to dismiss the Sri Lankan for 10.  In the next over the Royals lost their fourth wicket when Jack Manuel chipped Pyrah to McGrath at deep mid on for 18.

After hitting Azeem Rafiq for a six he then chipped him to Pyrah at short mid wicket for 17 and the Royals were now 60 for five with 11 overs left.  James Cameron was the next to go when he pulled Rafiq to Best at the square leg boundary.  Ben Scott then gave Rafiq a simple return catch and was out for five.  Rafiq finished with three for 23 in his four overs.

Gareth Andrew tried to reverse sweep Rashid and was leg before for two.  Mitchell, who top scored with 34, lofted Pyrah straight down Gibbs’ throat at long on.  Pyrah wrapped the innings up when he bowled Shantry for a duck.

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