Luxton and the weather combine to deny frustrated Steelbacks at Scarborough

Teenager Will Luxton’s debut 68 dragged Yorkshire out of trouble against Northants Steelbacks before heavy rain prevented the visitors from chasing 223 and forced a Royal London Cup 'no result' at Scarborough.
Seam bowler Jack White impressed for the Steelbacks against Yorkshire before the rains cameSeam bowler Jack White impressed for the Steelbacks against Yorkshire before the rains came
Seam bowler Jack White impressed for the Steelbacks against Yorkshire before the rains came

Luxton, aged 18, is the White Rose’s fifth List A debutant in three Group B matches and led a recovery from 69 for six to 222 all out.

Yorkshire were bowled out in the 50th over from being six down in the 21st having been invited to bat in overcast conditions.

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The Steelbacks took advantage superbly, led by new ball seamer Jack White with three of the first four wickets to fall on his List A debut.

But Luxton’s intervention took valuable time out of a game which saw only five balls of the chase bowled and no play beyond 3.05pm.

The visitors needed to face 10 overs to avoid a one-point apiece No Result, with a revised target being 73.

And had Luxton been given out on five when the Steelbacks felt they had him caught behind off the spin of Graeme White, there is every chance they would have got that chance to claim victory.

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Instead, Yorkshire’s Academy captain took advantage to hit five fours and two sixes, both down the ground, in an impressive 85-ball knock.

Tall and wiry, Luxton was particularly strong through the leg-side, pulling and working the ball well.

Having reached a 72-ball fifty, he hoisted Tom Taylor for successive sixes over long-off and long-on and received a standing ovation when bowled by Wayne Parnell to leave the score at 214 for eight in the 48th over.

Like Jack White, Taylor also claimed three wickets, though conceded 64 in 10 overs.

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White, 29-years-old and having only played four previous first-class games this season and last, was the standout bowler with three for 38 from his 10. Eight were bowled in his opening spell.

He had Harry Duke bowled trying to drive, leaving the score at seven for one in the third over.

George Hill was then caught and bowled pushing at one and Will Fraine, for 28, caught at deep square-leg pulling.

Luxton shared 51 for the seventh wicket with Matthew Waite, who made 29, and 93 for the eighth with Mat Pillans.

The latter finished with a valuable career best 40.

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A 5.50pm restart was teased after rain stopped. But the outfield was too wet, leaving Yorkshire with three points from as many games and Northants one from two.

The Steelbacks are due back in action on Friday when they travel to Surrey.