By Gary Watton
May 16 2015

The Yorkshire Vikings made the best possible start to their 2015 Twenty20 campaign with a comprehensive triumph against Derbyshire Falcons. The in-form Bairstow supplied plenty of runs during the run chase, assisted by his captain, Andrew Gale, and Jack Leaning. However, the star of the show has to be seventeen-year-old Matthew Fisher who grabbed no fewer than five wickets [including two return catches] in Derbyshire's puny innings.

Consequently, the hosts did not have too demanding a total to pursue. They did lose Andrew Hodd off the first ball he faced. I thought that the promotion of Hodd to open the batting was a good move, but he should be given more opportunities to capitalise on his quick-scoring capabilities. All the bowlers acquitted themselves well, with the exception of Jack Brooks whose two overs were a little too expensive. The scores were as follows:

YORKSHIRE VIKINGS versus Derbyshire Falcons; at Leeds; Friday the 15th of May 2015. YORKSHIRE VIKINGS won the toss.

Derbyshire Falcons: 128 off 18.2 overs

Amla c Gale b Pyrah 29 (70-3)

Durston c Rashid b Bresnan 8 (27-1)

Hughes.C c Pyrah b Fisher 27 (66-2)

Thakor lbw b Fisher 4 (72-4)

Godleman c and b Pyrah 2 (78-5)

Hughes.A c and b Fisher 11 (108-7)

Elstone c Pyrah b Rashid 3 (81-6)

Poynton c Bairstow b Fisher 27 (115-8)

Wainwright c Bairstow b Plunkett 5 (119-9)

Cotton c and b Fisher 8

Footit Not Out 0

Extras: 4

Fisher 3.2-0-22-5

Pyrah 2-13; Bresnan 1-18; Plunkett 1-25; Rashid 1-26; Brooks 0-21

YORKSHIRE VIKINGS: 131 for three off 16.4 overs

Gale c Poynton b Cotton 41 (100-3)

Hodd b Cotton 0 (1-1)

Lees c Amla b Footit 23 (31-2)

Bairstow Not Out 40

Leaning Not Out 19

Extras: 8

YORKSHIRE VIKINGS win by seven wickets.