Derbyshire v Yorkshire T20

Yorkshire 175 (Brook 77, Allen 37, Scrimshaw 3-20, Watt 3-29, Kerr 2-20)

Derbyshire 105-4 in 9.4 overs (du Plooy 48*, Masood 34, Leech 3-13)

Derbyshire won by six wickets

A tremendous unbeaten innings of 48 from just 20 balls by Leus du Plooy saw Derbyshire reach their Duckworth Lewis adjusted target of 105 in ten overs with two balls to spare. This after bowling Yorkshire out for 175.

The South African-born star hit five fours and three sixes in his punishing knock, which keeps the Falcons hopes of qualification very much alive. 

It was a sensational finish to the game, reviving memories of Matt Critchley doing the same thing to the same opponents a year or two back, as du Plooy took 19 from four balls (plus a wide). There were shades of Adrian Kuiper for me in how du Plooy smoked the ball over mid wicket for six  to win the game, clearly knowing it was away from the moment it left the bat.

Truth be told after two overs we were looking down a barrel, with Finn Allen and Adam Lyth taking 32 off Kerr and Conners. Then came Mark Watt, with an outstanding double - wicket maiden and a more subdued, celtic version of an Imran Tahir celebration.  For all that du Plooy will rightly get the headlines tonight, Watt's 3-29 in four overs, dismissing three of a strong top five, was a major factor.

Although Harry Brook played a fine innings, he lacked support and after McKiernan dismissed the dangerous Allen and Watt removed Shadab, the runs only came at one end. 

Scrimshaw also bowled beautifully and took three wickets for just one run in his final over, three for just 20 runs overall. Yorkshire fizzled away badly, adding only six runs for their last five wickets in the last two overs. Hayden Kerr also held his nerve to bowl well at the death and 175 seemed within our compass on a small ground.

The fielding is again worthy of mention, with Sam Conners once more outstanding in the deep. Brooke Guest missed a stumping that looked routine, but on replay it bounced abnormally and took him by surprise. 

Then came the rain, with Derbyshire's target eventually 105 from ten overs. I do understand how they calculate these tallies, but with a shorter Powerplay it seemed a big ask, especially having been reduced from 135 from 14 overs during an earlier stoppage. 

Reece hit one six over fine leg then was leg before and Madsen had a three-ball duck. But du Plooy was quickly into his stride and with Masood seemed to have things in hand.

Bess held a fine catch to dismiss the Derbyshire skipper, injuring himself in the process. Might he have bowled the closing over?

We'll never know and it doesn't matter. Although Guest was caught on the boundary, that was as good as it got for Yorkshire, as Leus took control. It was unlucky for Leech, who bowled two fine overs for the visitors, but Yorkshire haemorrhaged runs at the other end. 

Supporters will talk about this one for a few years and it was just a shame that only the hardy were still around to see it at the end, the ground looking superb at full capacity earlier. 

Sitting in my armchair at home, I genuinely fancied us, going into that final over. Left-hander on strike, a batsman of known six-hitting pedigree, shorter legside boundary to hit to and a bowler already gone for 15 in his first over. Once Will Fraine misfielded one and gifted a four, for me it was just a matter of time. 

The vice-captain duly saw us home, in heavy rain. Fair play to him for that and to the umpires for letting an excellent game play to a conclusion.

Four wins on the bounce, a double over the Yorkies. Their supporters aren't happy on Twitter tonight, but Yorkies are never magnanimous in defeat and they should realise, sometime, that they have no divine right to win. 

Be still, my beating heart.

Now let's do it all over again at Birmingham tomorrow.