Chahal returns as Steelbacks get back to work with Warwickshire clash in One Day Cup

Little more than 48 hours after sealing a sensational win over Hampshire Hawks to secure a third T20 title, Northants are back in action as they begin their Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign on Tuesday morning (start 11am).

Darren Lehmann's side host Warwickshire in their Group A opener at the cinch County Ground (start 11am), and have named a 16-man squad for the competition opener.

With seven of the Blast winning side heading off to play in The Hundred, just four remain from the starting 11 for both games at Edgbaston.

Nathan McSweeney skippers the 50-over side and he is joined by fellow trophy winners Lewis McManus, Luke Procter and Ricardo Vasconcelos.

Indian leg-spinner Yuzi Chahal will play the first game of his overseas stint, while there is also a surprise call up to the senior squad for academy prospect and Old Northamptonians youngster Shiv Krishna, who has been in great form in the Northants Cricket League this season.

Also named in the squad are the likes of George Bartlett, Gus Miller, Rob Keogh, Liam Guthrie and Raphy Weatherall, as well as other first team squad players who have yet to feature for the first team this season, such as Arush Buchake, Stuart van der Merwe and Aadi Sharma.

It is a squad that has a good blend of youth and experience, and Lehmann is expecting a strong showing from his side, and is demanding a big improvement on last season which saw the team win just one of eight games.

"We lose seven to The Hundred, which is great because it means we have played some good T20 cricket," the head coach told Steelbacks TV

"We wish the all the best and hope they can win the title with the respective franchises, and for us it gives the other squad members the chance to really show their wares on the stage.

"We have good conditions here and we will hope to get a good crowd in to see the next generation, so for me it is exciting times.

"Some young players are going to play, and we have some experienced players coming back in, so that is a good sign for us.

"But we have to play better in the 50-over comp.

"I think we won one game last year, so we have to maintain our winning ways (from the T20) and play the right brand of cricket that can be successful in the 50-over game."

The addition of Indian Premier League legend Chahal is a major boost for the Steelbacks, as is the fact they will be captained by two-time Sheffield Shield-winning skipper McSweeney.

"Yuzi is a world-class bowler, we know that, and we are really happy with him and with Nathan at the helm," said Lehmann.

"Yuzi can be a strike bowler for us, and he can bowl in many phases of the game, so delighted he is back.

"We have some experience to help Nathan out too, there is Lewis McManus, Rob Keogh, Luke Procter, and Vasco who had that unbelievable knock in the final on Saturday.

"We have players around Nathan, but we need to bat better than we have done in previous years.

"That is the challenge for the batting group."

Warwickshire have named a 13-man squad for the trip to Northampton, and include plenty of class and experience.

Skippered by Sam Hain, the Bears also include the likes of Jake Lintott, Ethan Bamber, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Alex Davies and Kai Smith, who played a match-winning knock in their T20 success at Wantage Road 11 days ago.

The other teams in Group A are Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset and Surrey.

Steelbacks squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), George Bartlett, Arush Buchake, Yuzi Chahal, Liam Guthrie, Rob Keogh, Shiv Krishna, Tiaan Louw, Lewis McManus (wk), Gus Miller, Luke Procter, Nirvan Ramesh, Aadi Sharma, Stuart van der Merwe, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Raphy Weatherall

Bears squad: Sam Hain, Jake Lintott, Jake Garlick, Rob Yates, Ethan Bamber, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Taz Ali, Vansh Jani, Zen Malik, Alex Davies, Kai Smith, George Garton, Theo Wylie