Anuerin Donald gives Falcons lift-off in successful 201 chase

A brutal innings from Aneurin Donald drove Derbyshire Falcons to a seven wicket victory over Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast North Group at Chesterfield.

Donald reached 50 off 13 balls, the joint fastest in the Blast, and smashed seven sixes and eight fours in 85 from 30 balls as the Falcons cruised to a target of 201 in 17.2 overs with Wayne Madsen unbeaten on 38.

It condemned Yorkshire to an eighth consecutive Blast defeat at Queen's Park and puts a big dent in their chances of reaching the knockouts.

Jordan Thompson hit four sixes in an 11 ball unbeaten 37 to take Yorkshire to 200 for 6 which looked competitive until Donald engaged the turbo with 90 coming in the powerplay.

By contrast, Yorkshire started sedately before Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan found their range. Malan lifted Alex Thomson over cover for six and then straight drove Zak Chappell into the pavilion.

Bairstow lofted Pat Brown out of the ground but the Falcons dismissed both openers in consecutive overs. Malan was bowled coming down the pitch to Mohammad Ghazanfar and Bairstow went trying to run Chappell to third man.

After two tight overs, James Wharton pulled Martin Andersson for six but Will Luxton failed to clear long-on in Samit Patel's second over.

Wharton certainly did when he drove the Falcons skipper over the sightscreen and he dispatched Ghazanfar for another maximum in the 15th over. But his next attempt to clear the ropes landed in the hands of long-on to leave Yorkshire 125 for 4 in the 15th.

Matty Revis also fell to a good running catch at long-on but Will Sutherland and Thompson took 22 off the 18th over from Chappell. Ross Whiteley pulled off a stunning leaping catch on the cover boundary to dismiss Sutherland but Thompson smashed three sixes off the last over from Chappell which cost 24.

Donald launched the chase by taking 20 off Dom Bess and 25 came off the second over from Matt Milnes which included two big sixes from Donald. The onslaught continued with Donald swatting Will O'Rouke for another six and he reached his landmark 50 which also included six fours in the fourth over.

Only 10 came off the next two overs but Donald scooped O'Rouke for his fifth six as the Falcons reached 90 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

Donald swept Jafer Chohan for six to bring up the 100 in the eighth over and the opening stand with Caleb Jewell was worth 115 before the Australian mistimed a pull at Sutherland.

Donald's remarkable innings ended when he pulled Chohan to deep midwicket but there was no way back for Yorkshire as Madsen and Whiteley easily completed the Falcons third group victory.