C&G Trophy: Lumb finds lost touch to steer Yorkshire into semis

Yorkshire 270 Northamptonshire 237 (Yorkshire win by 33 runs)

This season has been especially frustrating. Even in Twenty20 cricket, at which he excelled at first, his bat has become a blunted instrument, his seven innings in this season's competition generating only 60 runs. That prompted director of cricket, David Byas, to suggest he get some practice with the second XI, to which Lumb responded with a half-century when recalled to face Surrey in the Totesport League last Wednesday. He made his mark emphatically again here yesterday, clinching the man-of-the-match award as Yorkshire booked an away semi-final place against Hampshire in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy with a 33-run victory over Northamptonshire.

The 25-year-old left-hander's 108-ball 89, his second highest score in one-day cricket, gave Yorkshire's innings just enough substance to set Northamptonshire a challenging run chase after the visitors had won the toss and chosen to bowl first.

Lumb shared a partnership of 93 for the third wicket with Ian Harvey, whose 74 included 10 boundaries.

Harvey hit three fours in a single over off Steffan Jones but suffered a soft dismissal, chipping a slow full toss from Ben Phillips straight to mid-wicket. His partner ultimately holed out to long-on off impressive Australian seamer Damien Wright, whose first six-over spell conceded only 14 runs. Finishing with 3 for 39, Wright was the pick of the Northamptonshire bowlers in a performance let down by sloppy fielding, with three catches put down.

Earlier, after Michael Wood had edged Wright to slip without scoring, Phil Jaques hit a brisk 25 before giving Riki Wessels a catch and Anthony McGrath's 38 were valuable runs but, with England captain Michael Vaughan rested to protect a groin injury, and Craig White also ruled out, Yorkshire had every reason to applaud Lumb, especially when seven wickets fell in the last six overs for just 43 runs, the innings ending when Johann Louw bowled stand-in skipper Richard Dawson with the last ball.

Yorkshire could at least draft Matthew Hoggard into their attack for his final appearance ahead of the Ashes Tests, although the England bowler took his time making an impact as the visitors began their reply so confidently it seemed they would find a target of 271 well within their scope. They had 73 on the board in the 12th over when Bilal Shafayat played across the line to Tim Bresnan and though a brilliant throw from Jaques ran out Martin Love in full flow, and Dawson's nagging accuracy slowed the scoring pace, they still looked well set at 163 for 2 in the 35th.

However, Hoggard, in his second spell, then struck to have Tim Roberts leg before, claiming a second important scalp when Usman Afzaal, whose 62-ball 57 made him a potential match-winner, drove straight to long-on.

Yorkshire's catching was as unimpressive as their opponents, with at least four chances spilled, but two superb efforts, by Jaques and Richard Pyrah to account for Sales and Wessels, tipped the balance in Yorkshire's direction as Northamptonshire subsided to 237 all out, losing their last six wickets for 45 runs.