YORKSHIRE will play Gloucestershire at Bristol next Wednesday in the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals after yesterday's North Division washout with Lancashire at Headingley.

The Tykes were virtually handed their passage through to the last eight - but they would have had a home tie if their game was completed yesterday.

Yorkshire were 34 without loss after 4.5 overs in pursuit of Lancashire's paltry 89 all out. Had the weather allowed for a further 5.1 overs, they would have been guaranteed a home quarter-final.

But instead they face a trip to Bristol to just 48 hours before their County Championship match just down the M5 against Somerset at Taunton.

"I am not bothered whether it was home or away," said skipper Darren Gough. "If you had said that we were going to qualify after losing the first game against Durham, then I would have been happy.

"It is now all about who plays best on the day in that quarterfinal."

Gough put in a fine display of bowling, taking three for 17 from his eight overs, while Steven Patterson and Rich Pyrah both took two wickets.

Tim Bresnan and Anthony Mc- Grath claimed a wicket apiece, as Lancashire batted dreadfully.

Only Kyle Hogg, 25, and Iain Sutcliffe, 16, reached double figures.

Lancashire lost captain Stuart Law due to a broken right index finger, leaving wicketkeeper Luke Sutton as stand-in skipper.

And he was left to take the flak for a bemusing decision to bat first under leaden skies at a Leeds venue famous for its bowler-friendly conditions.

Gough said: "I would have bowled. I was a little bit surprised, perhaps they got a little bit confused!"

Sutton explained: "Predominantly it was me, Mike Watkinson and Stuey (Law). We also put it to a few senior players, and then the whole squad just before we tossed up.

"Everyone was in agreement that we should bat first. I have to take the brunt of that because I am captain.

"It was a used wicket, which they had played on previously against Scotland. They described it as an excellent wicket, one of the best they have seen at Headingley.

"We knew there were overhead conditions, but the outfield was very wet."

It was harsh on the Tykes that they did not get the chance to finish the game off, as Andrew Gale and Craig White began the reply at a rollicking rate.

But they will take heart ahead of tomorrow's County Championship clash between the two sides at Headingley.

Gough said pace bowler Patterson is not a likely starter tomorrow.