Gary Ballance hits third century as record-breaking Yorkshire thrash Leicestershire

Ballance struck his highest List A score of 156 to deliver a 213-run win at Headingley to kick-start the One-Day Cup

Headingley: Yorkshire 379-7, Leicestershire 166 - Yorkshire won by 213 runs

Scorecard

In-form Gary Ballance and young gun Harry Brook hit superb centuries and shared a match-turning fourth-wicket partnership of 211 as Yorkshire got their Royal London One-day Cup campaign off to a winning start by 213 runs against Leicestershire at Emerald Headingley.

The Foxes were cock-a-hoop when seamer Tom Taylor (3-57) removed Adam Lyth for a three-ball duck and David Willey and Tom Kohler-Cadmore cheaply as the Vikings, invited to bat, slipped to 17 for three inside five overs.

But what followed was a sensational display of batting on a good pitch, led by Ballance and Brook, as the hosts amassed a record 379 for 7.

In reply, Leicester could not respond. They fell to one for one after four balls and were bowled out for 166 inside 30 overs. 

Seamer Mat Pillans claimed a maiden five-wicket haul, 5-29 from 6.3 overs, as Leicester suffered their heaviest defeat - runs wise - against county opposition.

Ballance hit a career-best 156 off 133 balls, his third century in three innings having raised his bat in recent Championship matches against Nottinghamshire and Hampshire.

Brook, aged 20, posted his maiden List A century, 103 off 105 balls.

An innings which included eleven sixes, six for Ballance, brought a number of records.

Yorkshire’s total was the highest on this ground by any team in one-day cricket and equalled their highest against county opposition.

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The 34-over stand between Ballance and Brook was also Yorkshire’s highest for the fourth wicket.

For the majority, the pair did not look in any trouble as the Foxes wilted under increasing pressure.

However, the visitors felt they had Brook lbw on 24 when he shuffled across his stumps and played to leg against Gavin Griffiths.

Lewis Hill later missed a stumping chance with Ballance on 81 against Arron Lilley’s off spin.

Brook brought up his first hundred - his second in all forms - off 101 balls and Ballance reached his milestone shortly afterwards off 112.

The left-hander, who is building another case for an England Test recall, then crashed three sixes and a four off seamer Will Davis immediately before slapping him to deep cover as the score fell to 329 for 5 in the 46th over.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall maintained the late momentum with four sixes in 58 off 29 as 142 runs came off the final 10 overs.

Leicester’s task was made that much tougher four balls into their chase when Willey bowled Harry Dearden before the same bowler had pinch-hitter Lilley caught at mid-on in the seventh over (37 for two).

And seven overs later, captain Steve Patterson ousted opposite number Paul Horton, caught at cover, as the score fell to 86 for three.

Josh Poysden had Mark Cosgrove lbw for 42 with his first ball before Pillans, on his Yorkshire one-day debut, bowled Colin Ackermann and had Hill caught at backward point in successive overs - 132 for 6 in the 22nd.

The same man then had Taylor superbly caught at mid-wicket by a diving Adil Rashid, who sprinted around from mid-on, before Aadil Ali chipped him to mid-wicket, leaving Leicester at 162 for 8 in the 28th.

Poysden bowled Davis before Pillans wrapped up the win by getting Chris Wright caught behind.