One-Day Cup: Josh Rymell hits century as Essex beat Yorkshire

Josh Rymell was playing only his seventh first-team game for Essex - six of them in the One-Day Cup

Opener Josh Rymell hit his first century for Essex as they defeated Yorkshire by 129 runs at Chelmsford to advance to the One-Day Cup semi-finals.

The 20-year-old made 121 off 130 balls after the early loss of Alastair Cook.

He was eventually bowled by George Hill (3-51), but Simon Harmer and Aron Nijjar shared an unbroken stand of 50 in 3.4 overs to see Essex to 317-7.

Yorkshire were all out for 188 in reply and Essex will now face Glamorgan in the first-semi-final on Monday.

The match will be played in Cardiff, but having won the County Championship and T20 Blast in 2019 and Bob Willis Trophy last summer, Essex remain in contention to add their first 50-over silverware since 2008.

Rymell underlines potential

They had the edge in experience with Cook, skipper Tom Westley, Ryan ten Doeschate and Harmer in their line-up, but it was Rymell who produced the major innings they needed after Cook shovelled a catch to cover in the sixth over and departed for 16.

The right-hander put on 60 with Westley (33), 68 with Paul Walter (33) and 68 with Adam Wheater, who hit two sixes in his 34 off 20 balls.

Rymell followed up his 78 against Sussex four days earlier by reaching his hundred from 115 deliveries with a single off Dom Bess before finally being outwitted by Hill, who produced a perfect yorker as he shaped to attempt a ramp shot.

Collapse costs Yorkshire

Tom Westley's dismissal of Gary Ballance was a key moment in Yorkshire's reply

Jack Plom bowled Harry Duke in the third over of Yorkshire's run-chase and the visitors could only muster 10 runs from the first seven overs.

Will Fraine (31) and William Luxton (34) shared a stand of 63, but Yorkshire slumped from 73-2 to 125-7 in the space of 11 overs to effectively end their hopes, with Gary Ballance lbw to Westley (3-33) for 11.

Matthew Revis (42) and Mathew Waite (31) produced a late show of defiance but Plom (3-34) ended the game in the 29th over when Ben Coad was caught at mid-on.

Surrey are at home to Gloucestershire in Sunday's second quarter-final, with the winners to face Durham on Tuesday.

The final takes place at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Essex batsman Josh Rymell told BBC Essex:

"It's the stuff of dreams, but I just want to keep going, keep helping the team get these wins.

"Hopefully, we'll get to the final and win the competition.

"It got a bit easier as the innings went on.

"Taking a new role, opening the batting, has given me the chance to accelerate later on if I'm still there."

Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance told BBC West Yorkshire Sport:

"We bowled really well. They just got away from us in the last 10, 12 overs, which gave them momentum.

"Anything under 300, we would have been happy with.

"With the batting, we lost too many wickets in the middle overs chasing a big score.

"A lot of the guys have improved, learned a lot and will be better for the experience."