Tom Woods gives nod of approval to Joe Root after Derbyshire are beaten by Yorkshire

Derbyshire batter Tom Woods praised the abilities of Joe Root after Yorkshire beat the Falcons by six wickets in the final round of T20 matches.

The England star hit an unbeaten 60 off 50 balls to help give Yorkshire a six wicket win on the final ball.

Woods said: "We started brilliantly with the ball and I thought Sam (Conners) was outstanding up top but Joe Root showed his class.

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"We all know about he is a world-class player so it was key for us to try and get him out because if he batted to the end, they were favourites."

The Falcons, who finish bottom of the North Group, looked on course for a bigger total after Wood and skipper Billy Godleman plundered 80 from the first 10 overs.

Godleman swept Root to backward square in the 14th over and although Wayne Madsen marked his 500th innings for Derbyshire by launching Jordan Thompson over long on for six, the Falcons lost momentum in the closing overs.

Adam Lyth started the chase with two boundaries from Madsen’s opening over but Sam Conners struck two huge blows in the third.

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The Vikings skipper top edged a pull and was caught behind and Dawid Malan went two balls later when he got an inside edge driving at Conners.

The Vikings suffered another blow in the sixth over when Will Fraine was out, leaving the Vikings were well off the pace, needing another 103 runs.

But Root and Harry Brook (50 off 29) upped the tempo to take Yorkshire home in a nail-biting finale.

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