Freddie Heldreich and Saif Zaib land decisive blows as Northants halt Rapids
Northamptonshire 180 for 4 (Zaib 70*) beat Worcestershire 178 for six (Cox 46*, Heldreich 3-28) by six wickets
Worcestershire Rapids missed out on the prospect to make historical past as their unbeaten begin to the Vitality Blast was dropped at an finish by Northamptonshire Steelbacks who triumphed by six wickets at New Road.
The Rapids had been bidding to win the opening 5 video games within the T20 event for the primary time. But Steelbacks spinner Freddie Heldreich bowled an impressed spell which introduced him the wickets of Adam Hose, Brett D’Oliveira and Kashif Ali within the house of three overs.
Then Saif Zaib produced the fireworks with the bat for the guests, smashing successive sixes within the last over from Pat Brown to see his aspect house with two balls to spare. He ended unbeaten on 70 from 35 balls with 9 fours and two sixes to seal a 3rd win within the final 4 video games for the Steelbacks.
D’Oliveira, Jack Haynes and Mitchell Santner all made helpful contributions with the bat for the Rapids but it surely was keeper Ben Cox who offered late momentum.
Fit once more opener Ricardo Vasconcelos offered the Steelbacks with early aggression after which Saif saved his nerve to see his aspect over the ending line.
Ben Sanderson broke by means of for the Steelbacks within the opening over as Michael Bracewell sliced a drive to brief third man.
D’Oliveira acquired into his stride with successive boundaries off his Steelbacks counterpart David Willey. But he got here shut on 12 to being run out after taking part in Sanderson to midwicket and replays indicated he was wanting his floor to Willey’s direct hit.
Haynes survived two possibilities in an over from Tom Taylor, a low caught and bowled after which at brief third man. He began to revenue from these escapes in smashing a Sanderson full toss over the lengthy on boundary and accumulating two fours in two balls at Willey’s expense.
Andrew Tye’s introduction into the assault led to the downfall of Haynes who sliced a skier into third man’s palms.
Hose, in prime kind in latest video games, tried to hit left-arm wristspinner Heldreich excessive and was taken at long-off. There was extra pleasure for Heldreich when D’Oliveira made room to chop and solely picked out backward level and it grew to become three wickets in three overs as Kashif Ali departed in precisely the identical method.
Santner struck the ball sweetly in making 33 from 21 balls however then holed out to long-on after Taylor’s return to the assault. Cox, with an unbeaten 46 from 29 deliveries, and Ed Pollock ensured a aggressive complete.
The Steelbacks have been restricted to 14 runs from their opening three overs earlier than Chris Lynn, a century-maker in opposition to Leicestershire on Friday night, launched Brown over the long-on boundary. But Adam Finch introduced his downfall when he might solely discover mid-on.
Vasconcelos seized on the introduction of spin for the ultimate over the powerplay by putting Bracewell for 3 fours and a six.
Willey regarded in good contact however once more didn’t capitalise on a good begin and sliced Santner to backward level. Bracewell got here in for some heavy punishment however picked up an vital scalp when Vasconcelos sliced the ball down deep cowl’s throat.
The Steelbacks regarded in management whereas Zaib and Josh Cobb have been collectively throughout a stand of 70 in eight overs.
Cobb ultimately perished to Brown however Saif was as much as the duty of scoring 15 from the ultimate over, despatching balls two and three over the ropes earlier than crashing the following for the profitable boundary.