Andrew the Hall-round hero in Steelbacks drama
Andrew Hall starred with bat and ball as the Steelbacks grabbed a last-ball tie against Warwickshire Bears.
The former South African all-rounder struck an unbeaten century as Northamptonshire recovered from 58 for three to post 212 for six.
And Hall became the hero with the ball right at the death as the Bears failed to score one run from two balls, with Hall running out Steffan Piolet off the last ball.
After winning the toss, Warwickshire made the breakthrough in the fourth over when Sri Sreesanth forced Stephen Peters to edge behind to Tim Ambrose, before Ireland international Niall O'Brien was unluckily run out at the bowler's end via a deflection from left-armer Neil Carter.
Riki Wessels was badly put down by Ian Bell at slip, but he failed to cash in and another edge found Rikki Clarke's safe hands at second slip.
At three wickets down, the Steelbacks were in desperate need of some stability and that was provided by Hall - with a number of powerful driven fours being followed by an enormous blow into the car park off Ant Botha.
He added exactly 100 in 19 overs with captain Nicky Boje, before leading a late charge in the company of Johannes van der Wath.
Hall struck his second six from the returning Carter, before straight-driving his compatriot to the fence for his eighth four to bring up a superb hundred from 110 balls.
Sreesanth finished with two for 34 and Piolet three for 34, but the Steelbacks were the happier side at the interval.
Van der Wath removed Warwickshire pinch-hitter Carter cheaply but youngster James Ord and England star Bell got the Bears back in the mix with a stand of 59 before Ord was bowled by Monty Panesar.
Jim Troughton made 33 from 34 balls in a 55-run partnership with Bell as the Bears began to boss proceedings but when he skied Boje to Panesar the hosts gained the initiative.
Bell then fell for 65 and captain Ian Westwood went to a stunning Peters catch, but Tim Ambrose's fluent 29 got Warwickshire back in the match.
Hall grabbed the key wicket of Ambrose, and Botha and Keith Barker were snapped up by Lee Daggett as Northamptonshire fought back.
However Clarke hit two boundaries from the penultimate over - leaving the visitors just eight to win from the final over.
Clarke survived a third-umpire let-off when Panesar claimed a catch at mid-on, before Piolet looked to have won it when he hit the fourth ball for four.
But Hall held his nerve, bowling a dot ball before helping to run Piolet out from the final ball of a thrilling match.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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