Birmingham Defeat 214 for 7 (Hine 98*, Davies 43, Moriarty 2-35) Yorkshire 210 for 5 (Ferreira 66, Malone 54, Briggs 3-35) by four runs
Hayne hit eight sixes in an innings.
With Yorkshire losing their fifth over by nine and needing 18 runs off the last two overs, it will look like a missed opportunity.
Meanwhile, Hayne’s fourth half-century in the ongoing campaign took him to the top of the Blast runs charts with 395.
Bears captain and opener Alex Davies opted to bat, contributing a brisk 43 runs, although he injured his finger while keeping wicket and later left the field.
Hayne was more powerful than he is known for and hit most of his sixes on the leg-side, though not just to the short side towards the West Terrace. He left Yorkshire in what would have been a club record chase in this form.
The Vikings, who now have significant work to do to secure a top-four finish, made the perfect start as left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty bowled Ed Barnard on the very first ball of the fixture.
Birmingham’s innings came to life in the fourth over as Davies scored 24 off Matthew Revis. And after Davis was caught lbw by a Jordan Thompson yorker – 79 for 3 in the eighth over – Hayne, no. Came in at 4 and bagged the lead role in stunning style.
Hayne hit three leg-side sixes to reach his half-century in 34 balls on a real pitch with a fast outfield. At that stage, Bears scored 141 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in the 15th over.
Hein registered his second T20I century when he went for 98 in the last over. But he didn’t face another ball.
In fact, he watched as New Zealander Zach Foulkes hit his first ball as bear, fine leg over Conor McCurry and over the Howard Stand for a six on the neighboring rugby ground.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Foulkes continued his brief overseas spell with the Bears as Davies took the catch, but took a step moments earlier and promptly left the field.
But despite the wicket, Yorkshire started well thanks to the classy Malan and the inventive James Wharton. They shared 62 runs in six overs for the second wicket, the latter scoring a swift 29 for a six off the spin of Don Mousley to complete the reverse sweep.
Like Birmingham, Yorkshire were 98 for 3 in 10 overs when left-arm spinner Danny Briggs caught Warden at deep midwicket and was bowled by George Hill.
With those layoffs, the Vikings’ task became more difficult. Malan did not agree. He took Briggs to six over long-on and reached his second half-century in 2024 off 38 balls.
He found a partner with the feisty South African Ferreira and they shared 57 for the third wicket in six overs before Malan Briggs slammed a full toss to deep midwicket – 155 for 4 in the 16th over.
Not least Ferreira, who hit four sixes in five balls off Jake Lindott’s spin and Foulkes’ seam, was the rest of the Yorkshire batting. He reached his first county fifty off 26 balls.
Yorkshire needed 18 from the last two overs, but Ferreira was caught at long-off against Mousley at the start of the final over – the crucial moment at the end, as the Vikings reached 197 for 5. Left-arm quick Gordon then finished things off brilliantly, with Shaun. Masood failed to hit a six off the last ball.