Steelbacks on the brink of Blast quarter-finals after big win at Bears

Northants piled up their record Blast total, 240 for six, thanks to the talented top three of Matt Breetzke (85 from 40 balls), Ricardo Vasconcelos (56, 27) and David Willey (54, 30).

The experienced Bears attack was plundered for 21 fours and 15 sixes.

That left Warwickshire needing to record the second highest successful Blast chase ever, but they mustered only 176 all out after Willey (two for 27) took crucial early wickets.

The remarkably consistent Sam Hain hit 50 (29) but the Steelbacks attack, led by George Scrimshaw (three for 33), and supported by excellent catching, nagged away with regular wickets at the other end.

The Steelbacks’ wildly fluctuating campaign has blown hot again just in time. They have one foot in the quarter-finals while the Bears must win their final group game, away to Derbyshire Falcons, and hope that is enough.

Northants, who go to Durham on Friday for their final North Group game, had opted to bat at Edgbaston, and they got off to a flier as Breetzke, Vasconcelos and Willey reached half-centuries from 27, 25 and 24 balls respectively.

Breetzke and Vasconcelos plundered 50 from the first 23 balls against a Bears attack which two days earlier had restricted Worcestershire Rapids to 15 from the first five overs.

The openers added 94 from 46 balls and, after Vasconcelos lifted Danny Briggs to deep extra, Breetzke and Willey smashed 95 from 45.

It was a thrilling exhibition of uninhibited, clean hitting, albeit assisted by a few more half-trackers and full tosses than the Bears would have liked.

Breetzke’s batting was breathtaking at times, notably when he welcomed Richard Gleeson into the attack by lifting him into the Hollies Stand and when he pummelled Briggs for successive sixes in the same direction.

That famous stand, sparsely-populated for a Blast game, was muted by the barrage which left Warwickshire needing a flying start themselves. They got it through Alex Davies who scored 26 (14 balls) before opening partner Tom Latham had faced a ball.

Willey then struck two big blows in an over when Davies and Dan Mousley each tried to guide the ball to third but, surprised by bounce, found only the gloves of wicketkeeper Lewis McManus.

Latham (25, 15) fell lbw, sweeping at Lloyd Pope in an over that cost four runs.

The next, from Ravi Bopara, cost just five to leave the Bears needing 149 from 11.

The Bears had to take huge risks and that proved predictably costly. Jake Bethell was bowled, slogging at Bopara. Ed Barnard skied a swish at Luke Procter. Hain reached his half-century from 28 balls but did not add another run before hoisting Procter to long on – and with him went the Bears’ hopes of pulling off a run-chase to remember.