Yorkshire v Leicestershire: Scores and match report

Match scores (Headingley)

Yorkshire win by 20 runs 

Yorkshire inns: 258-7 (45 overs. Ballance 71, Rafiq 52 no, Lyth 52; Griffiths 3-46, Wells 2-63)

Leicestershire inns: 238 all out (42.4 overs. Delport 68, Eckersley 46; Carver 3-24, Rafiq 2-46, Bresnan 2-47)

Match report

In-form Yorkshire skipper Gary Ballance passed 1,000 runs in only his 14th innings of the season but the Vikings had to settle for a Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-final eliminator despite a 20-run victory over Leicestershire at Headingley.

The England international, appointed Andrew Gale's successor as captain last December, passed the milestone during his knock of 71 off 66 deliveries in the White Rose's 258 for seven from their rain-reduced 45 overs following a 60-minute delay.

Azeem Rafiq also played an integral role for Yorkshire by hitting an unbeaten 52 off 30 balls, adding 58 alongside Ballance, and then triggering a collapse that saw Leicestershire lose six wickets for just 58 runs.

The off-spinner ended the fireworks from Cameron Delport, who blasted a 47-ball 68, while fellow tweaker Karl Carver weighed in with three for 24 to help dismiss the Foxes for 238 despite some late resistance.

The win was not enough for Yorkshire to advance straight to the semi-finals as Worcestershire beat Derbyshire to secure top spot in the North Group, but they will host the third-placed team in the South Group next month for a chance to join the Pears in the last four.

Not for the first time this campaign, Ballance was forced to rebuild Yorkshire's innings after Leicestershire responded to Adam Lyth and Alex Lees' 72-run opening stand by taking four wickets for just 26 runs.

Having failed to utilise bowler-friendly conditions under the lights upon winning the toss, Leicestershire found a way back into the game courtesy of poor shot selection from Yorkshire's batsmen.

Lees and Jack Leaning were dismissed by Gavin Griffiths, caught at cover and slip respectively, before Lyth failed to convert another start as he chipped Callum Parkinson to midwicket for 52 and Peter Handscomb replicated Lees' dismissal.

Ballance and Bresnan, dropped twice in a patient knock of 34, started to build a platform with a 73-run partnership until the latter was held at mid-off off Griffiths.

After Matthew Waite was run out attempting a quick single off a misfield, Ballance was joined by Rafiq and the seventh-wicket pair took 60 off the final five overs.

Ballance went past the 1,000-run barrier before falling backwards onto his own stumps trying a wild swing off Tom Wells, leaving Rafiq to continue an innings that saw him smack three fours and three sixes.

Bresnan then had Mark Pettini caught at slip with the fourth ball to leave Yorkshire in complete control.

The home crowd did not envisage an onslaught from Delport and Ned Eckersley, though, with the second-wicket pair smashing 107 in 13 overs to raise Leicestershire's hopes of a quarter-final place.

Yet Delport's dismissal, caught at long-on off Rafiq, started a dramatic passage of play that saw Leicestershire slip from 107 for one to 165 for seven.

Rafiq bowled Mark Cosgrove first ball and Bresnan had Colin Ackermann taken at mid-on by Carver, who then breached Eckersley's defences on 46, saw Lewis Hill cut to cover and caught-and-bowled Parkinson during an impressive nine-over spell.

Clint McKay and Dieter Klein gave Leicestershire a sniff of an unlikely triumph, blasting 42 off 22 balls, but they came up just short.