YORKSHIRE director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon says the Tykes have done “everything we can” in preparation for the new county season.

Moxon watched a youthful White Rose side fall to a 16- run defeat against Lancashire at Old Trafford yesterday, two days after a win over the same opponents.

Pace bowler Deon Kruis, the elder statesman of the side at 34, excelled by taking 4-19 from his ten overs to bowl Lancs out for 179 in 49 overs.

But, despite captain for the day Andrew Gale’s 67 off 115 balls, the Tykes only managed 163-9 with Azeem Rafiq retiring hurt after tweaking his right knee.

Yorkshire begin the season properly with a three-day first-class fixture against Cambridge University at Fenner’s tomorrow, albeit, technically, just another friendly.

“So far, so good,” said Moxon, who has seen his side claim four friendly wins out of six in total. “I just hope that we can maintain it when the proper games start.

“I was really pleased with the way that Abu Dhabi went, I thought that we played some good cricket. The weather this week has been pretty good, so we have managed to get some more match practice.

“You hope that you start the season well, and we have done everything we can so far.

It has been very pleasing.”

Kruis led the attack well yesterday, proving a good example for James Lee, who claimed 3-43 from ten, Rafiq and Academy bowler Michael Chadwick – they both took a wicket apiece.

Lancashire looked set to post in excess of 200 when they were 129-2 in the 33rd over, but they later lost five wickets for ten runs in 31 balls to slump from 142-3 to 152-8.

Kyle Hogg, the all-rounder who is being used as an experimental opener in 50-over cricket, top scored with 58 from 93 balls.

Yorkshire’s opening pair Gale and Joe Sayers set off slowly in their reply – a mixture of good bowling from Newby (3-32), Hogg and Tom Smith and the slow pitch the reasons.

Smith picked the first wicket of Sayers, caught at point by Steven Croft, to leave the score at 41-1 in the 17th over.

Gale began to accelerate things as he approached his half-century, launching leftarm spinner Stephen Parry for six over long off.

But Adam Lyth was caught behind off the medium pace of Croft soon after to leave the score at 71-2 in the 26th.

Chris Taylor soon followed, trapped lbw by Parry, while Newby removed Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow in the space of three balls to leave the score at 105-5 in the 38th.