Batting star Bopara felt Steelbacks always had enough to see off Falcons in Blast

It was another final-over success for the Steelbacks, who were indebted to a brilliant final over from veteran seamer Ben Sanderson as they sealed a nail-biting six-run success.

Needing 15 to win from the final over and with Samit Patel well set on 82 not out, Sanderson conceded just two runs from the opening five deliveries to end the match as a contest.

Ross Whiteley hammered the last ball of the match for six, but it was too little too late, and Bopara felt he and his team-mates always had the edge.

Bopara had earlier hammered a superb 84 not out from 46 balls, crucially crunching three fours and a six in a 23-run haul in the final over bowled by Zak Chappell that lifted the Steelbacks to 194 for six, having been at one point struggling at 24 for three.

There were also excellent contributions from David Willey (37 from 31) and Lewis McManus (29 from 17), and Bopara felt the total was well above par.

"We had about 160 in mind, and we throught that would be a good score on there as it wasn't the greatest pitch," said the former England all-rounder.

"The chat was we thought it would be difficult to chase down 165, and then we had a few good overs towards the end that got us up to that 190-odd.

"It was nice to get that, as it just gave us that cushion."

And the how Steelbacks needed that cushion, with the home side recovering from 33 for three to get very, very close thanks to Patel and opener Caleb Jewell who hit 71 from 44 before he holed out to Justin Broad on the boundary off the bowling of Luke Procter.

It was tight, but Bopara says he felt Steelbacks were in control, and that the Falcons luck with the bat had to run out.

"The only things we couldn't control were the edges that Derbyshire kept getting, as they were killing us," said the former Essex and Sussex man.

"There were some good balls being bowled there, and they were getting edged for four.

"I can't remember us edging any for four, so that does kill you sometimes as you set a good field and you get a knick past short fine, a knick past short third man, and it goes for four.

"That is tough, especially on an outfield like this one where it was hard to chase the ball down.

"But in the end we felt it was just comfortable, and that we had just enough on the board."

It was a second straight match-winning performance with the bat from Bopara, who also hit 46 not out from 40 balls to see the Steelbacks to their five-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday.

It was a brilliantly pace innings as Northants got past the Foxes' modest 122 all out with just four balls to spare.

And although the pitch was criticised by visiting coach Alfonso Thomas, Bopara did not agree, and admitted the Steelbacks' patient approach was simply all about getting over the line.

"I felt that was a really good wicket on Sunday, and I felt like I could go at any time on that surface because it was nice," he said.

"But I knew you could lose a couple of quick wickets and then the bowlers are having to do your job at the end, needing 15 runs or whatever.

"You don't want to leave it to the bowlers, you have to get it done, and it didn't matter we took it to the last over. We just had to get those 123 runs."

The Steelbacks remain second in the North Group table, but they are now level on 12 points with leaders Lancashire Lightning, who have played a game more.

Lightning were beaten by the Foxes on Wednesday.

Darren Lehmann’s side are quickly back in action on Friday night when they go to Worcestershire Rapids, and they then go to Old Trafford to play Lightning on Sunday.