Zafar Gohar and Jack Nelson took the plaudits as Middlesex beat Yorkshire in a topsy-turvy encounter at Lord’s to return to the top of the Group B table.

In only his second List A game, Nelson made a brilliant 76, sharing a stand of 94 with Gohar as Middlesex posted 246 all out despite a burst of three wickets in seven balls for Ben Cliff.

Gohar then produced left-arm spin wizardry to take four cheap wickets, while Noah Cornwell returned 3 for 35 as Yorkshire came up short despite 63 from Will Bennison and 59 from skipper Dom Bess.

Josh De Caires (42), buoyed by his maiden List A century against Worcestershire 48 hours earlier, got Middlesex off to a flyer, plundering four boundaries off Jack White, one of them off a free hit. When George Hill similarly over-stepped, Nathan Fernandes deposited his gift into the Mound Stand as 70 came from the powerplay.

But Cliff struck three times in quick succession: De Caires was bowled off the inside edge, before Fernandes slashed a wide one straight to backward point, and when Aaryan Sawant was castled three balls later the whole complexion of the game had changed.

Skipper Ben Geddes and wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell came and went, but Nelson refused to be intimidated by either his surrounds or the gravity of the scoreboard. Not afraid to go the aerial route, he was strong through the mid-off/extra cover arc, seven fours taking him to 50 before he slog-swept White into the Tavern Stand.

Gohar provided staunch support, but once he lofted a catch to long-off, the rest subsided quickly, Nelson falling attempting a reverse-ramp. Nelson had previously played at Lord’s for Harrow School, and made 128 for England’s Under-19s against South Africa last month.

Yorkshire’s reply hit early trouble, Adam Lyth caught behind off Naavya Sharma, before the in-form Will Luxton had his stumps spreadeagled by Toby Roland-Jones.

James Wharton and teenager Bennison though joined forces to play fluently through the powerplay, driving crisply and seizing on anything short.

The 100 had been raised with the pair coasting before Gohar got one to turn past the advancing Wharton and Cracknell whipped the bails off. More drama followed as Sam Whiteman was bowled by the very next ball and Gohar’s fine spell continued as Finlay Bean was caught behind. Cornwell pinned Hill in front in between times, and the Tykes were in trouble at 106 for 6.

Bennison, having surveyed the carnage from the other end, pulled Cornwell for six to go to 50 and skipper Bess was dropped at cover on 16 as the tension mounted.

But Gohar returned to castle Bennison, and although Bess reached his own excellent half-century, he was last out as the target proved beyond reach.