Twenty20 / Editor / 23 June 2007 /

Leicestershire Foxes opened the defence of their Twenty20 title with a 13-run victory over Yorkshire at Grace Road.

The game was reduced to 16 overs per side because of heavy rain, with skipper Jeremy Snape grabbing a hat-trick for his side, who are available to back at 11 on Betfair's developing "Twenty20 Cup 2007 - Winner" market.

County championship leaders Yorkshire (available at 28) were set 155 runs to win the game, after Jim Allenby top-scored with 43 in the Foxes total of 154 for 5 - the home side had won the toss and elected to bat.

Yorkshire, led by fit-again Darren Gough but having left out England seamer Matthew Hoggard, made an explosive start to their reply, with Craig White and Gerard Brophy racing away in the first three overs.

But after White succumbed for 31, Yorkshire were frustrated by a superb stint from pace bowler David Masters, before Snape sealed the victory with the wickets of Tim Bresnan and Jacques Rudolph - both caught in the deep - and then the hat-trick wicket of Steve Pyrah caught and bowled.

Brophy led the way for the visitors with 44 but Leicestershire showed their class to win and Masters, the former Kent bowler, was delighted with his team's winning start to the event.

"Our thoughts were to take the pace off the ball in the middle and we did it very well," said the rangy seamer.
"This is our competition and hopefully we can keep on winning."

Yorkshire skipper Gough admitted he had found his introduction to Twenty20 captaincy difficult, saying: "It wasn't very easy, a bit rushed.
"It's great to see lots of kids here and you also get the football supporters which is sometimes nice and sometimes not so nice!"

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