Imam ul Haq injury hits Yorkshire’s Metro Bank One-Day cup hopes

YORK: Yorkshire faced a huge setback in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign as their in-form opener, Iman ul Haq, was ruled out of an important group-stage match against Somerset due to a hip injury.

The injury was sustained during their earlier match against Lancashire. It left a noticeable void at the top of the batting order, affecting Yorkshire’s chances in the high-stakes match.

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Imam ul Haq has been a cornerstone for Yorkshire this season, consistently providing stable starts and laying the foundation for strong total runs. His absence in the match at Clifton Park was felt as Yorkshire’s batters struggled to cope at critical moments.

Imam ul Haq role in Yorkshire’s batting stability

Throughout the season, Iman built a reputation as a reliable opener for Yorkshire. His calm approach and skill in handling the new ball helped set a strong foundation for the team. By getting through the early overs, he allowed the middle order to play more freely later in the game.

He was Yorkshire’s top scorer this season, and was a key reason for their strong position in Group b.

Yorkshire vs Somerset

Batting first, Yorkshire lost momentum early in the innings. The top order struggled, putting extra pressure on the middle order. Despite good efforts from Matthew Revis, who scored 85, and George Hill (41), Yorkshire could not reach a high enough total to defend.

The team limped to 247 runs in 48.4 overs.

Early wickets fell quickly, with Adam Lyth, Will Luxton, and James Wharton dismissed within the first ten overs.

Somerset’s seamer Jake Ball was the star of the bowling attack, taking four wickets while yielding 34 runs in nearly 10 overs; exploiting the wicket conditions well.

Yorkshire never fully settled on the used pitch, which added to their troubles.

When it was their turn to bat, Somerset chased the target easily, reaching 252 for four in 49.1 overs. They won by six wickets with five balls to spare.

Opener Archie Vaughan led the chase with a career-best 95 off 127 balls, including 11 boundaries. He built important partnerships throughout the innings, including a 70-run second wicket stand with Lewis Goldsworthy, who scored 30.

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Somerset captain James Rew finished unbeaten on 53 to seal the victory.

Despite losing Vaughan to the off-spin of Dom Bess, Somerset’s middle order steadied the chase and ensured a smooth path to victory. This result ended Yorkshire’s unbeaten state in the tournament.

Both Somerset and Yorkshire now sit level at the top of Group B with 12 points, having each won three and lost one of their four matches