Super centurion Lynn helps in-form Steelbacks to see off Bears at Edgbaston
Northants Steelbacks continued their storming start to the Vitality T20 Blast with a six-wicket victory over Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears were lifted to a hefty 208 for seven by Australian batter Beau Webster, who hit a blistering 97 from 56 balls, supported by a sweet cameo from captain Ed Barnard (40).
It was a tall total, but not tall enough.
Chris Lynn’s seventh T20 century, an unbeaten 115, from just 59 balls, took the Steelbacks to 209 for four with four balls to spare and secured their fourth straight win which left the troubled Bears with a fourth straight defeat.
After choosing to bat, the home side started slowly, taking just one run from the first over for the loss of Rob Yates who steered David Willey to short third man.
Zen Malik, on his Blast debut, injected impetus with 24 from 10 balls, including successive sixes off James Sales, but then lifted the same bowler to third.
Sam Hain charged untidily as Calvin Harrison and was stumped, but Webster and Barnard added 82 in seven overs.
Sales, who took five for 21 against Gloucestershire on Friday, was left to muse on the great leveller that is cricket as he was socked for 27 in an over.
Barnard missed a lap at Sales and was bowled, but Webster maintained the big-hitting. He smashed 10 fours and five sixes, one of which, clubbed off a Willey full toss, raised the 200.
Webster eventually lifted the last ball of an excellent final over from Ben Sanderson, which cost just four runs, to deep mid-wicket.
The Steelbacks required more than 10 an over but were always up with the rate.
Openers Lynn and Ricardo Vasconcelos (27) added 69 from 30 balls before the latter perished to the last ball of the powerplay, run out by Barnard’s direct hit from mid off.
Lynn passed his half-century from 23 balls, and with Nathan McSweeney added 60 in seven overs.
The latter hoisted Usman Tariq to long off but Willey (23) kept the momentum high and when he was yorked by Jordan Thompson, the Steelbacks needed 43 from 22 balls.
Crucially, Lynn, having enjoyed more than his share of good fortune, was still there. He moved to 99 with a six far into the building site off Thompson and to his century next ball.
Three successive fours off Chris Woakes left 16 needed off the last 12 balls, and only eight of them were needed.