Sadler salutes Steelbacks for Kent showing, but labels one-day campaign 'frustrating'

But the head coach admitted there were thoughts of what might have been as the Steelbacks registered just their second victory in the final match of their eight-game Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign.

Sadler’s men bowled Kent out for just 82 as India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, whose signing was only confirmed an hour before the start of play, took five for 14 during an unbroken 10-over spell.

Justin Broad was nearly as impressive, claiming three for 16, while Luke Procter also shone with the ball.

Northants needed just 14 overs to reach their victory target, with James Sales finishing on 33 not out and George Bartlett unbeaten on 31.

And following the nine-wicket win at Canterbury, Sadler said: “It was a brilliant performance, pretty clinical I think.

"Procter and Broad up top were superb, we took our catches and then obviously the magician that is Yuzvendra Chahal came on and he bowled beautifully didn’t he? The control, the subtle variations of pace and flight, and he’s going to create chances for us for the next two months.

"He showed what he is, he’s a global superstar and then we went and finished it off,

“So yes, it was a clinical performance but you can’t help but think about what could have been because that performance, we know it’s in there but it’s a bit bittersweet because it’s been a frustrating campaign.

"It was a great day, but just a little bit too late.”

Chahal already looks like a superb signing for Northants, and they will be hoping for more match-winning heroics from the 34-year-old as he is available for their final five Vitality County Championship Division Two matches.

“We’ve got a good recruitment system if you look at the overseas and the recruitment we’ve done in the last couple of years,” Sadler said. “We’ve had some fantastic players and not just players, but people who fit in to what we do very well – our analyst, James, is very, very good at that. We’ve got global contacts with the coaches and players.

“We’ve been umming and ahh-ing about what overseas players to bring in for the last two months really, but certainly for the last five Championship, games that was the main focus.

"We geared it around whether or not we’d bring in another seamer or a world-class spinner.

"There are two Kookaburra games, it’s been very hot and dry and we’ve not rushed in to anything but when we weighed it all up and knew that Yuzi was available it was a no-brainer.

"We can hopefully rack up some big runs, then throw him the ball and hopefully we’ll create chances.”