Lehmann admits Breetzke absence on Finals Day was 'a big blow' for the Steelbacks
Darren Lehmann has admitted that Northants Steelbacks being without star overseas batter Matt Breetzke for Saturday's Vitality Blast Finals Day was 'a big blow'.
But the head coach reiterated it was something that was out of the club's control, as 'family issues' meant the 25-year-old was unable to travel from his home in South Africa to Birmingham ahead of the weekend.
The hard-hitting opener's presence was sorely missed as the Steelbacks were beaten by six wickets in their semi-final, with Hampshire Hawks' big gun overseas player, Chris Lynn, proving his worth by winning the game for his side with a brilliant 108 not out.
Breetzke had no international commitments to stop him from playing for the Steelbacks, and had been pencilled in to do so after his starring role for South Africa in their One Day International series win over England, but after returning home to deal with family issues, he was unable to return.
Breetzke had played 11 of the Steelbacks’ North Group matches, scoring 403 runs including four half-centuries, and on him not being available for Finals Day Lehmann admitted: “It was a big blow for us, but it is what it is.
"We can't worry about it, the bloke has family issues and that is not great, so we wish him all the best and hopefully his family is fine.
"At the end of the day, that is what happens sometimes and whatever side we put out on the park we are happy with.
"There are more important things than cricket, and although we didn't get across the line on Saturday we wish Matt and his family all the best."
Despite the disappointing semi-final defeat, Lehmann said he was proud of his team for reaching Finals Day, and says that from now on in, the Steelbacks have to be regular visitors to Edgbaston.
Saturday was the first time the team had reached the T20 competition's final four for nine years, and Lehmann, who will be in charge at the County Ground for the next two seasons, said: "We need to be at Finals Day, that is the bare minimum for us.
"Now we have experienced this, the young kids are going to get better, they will be fearless, and be really brave in what they are going to get better, because we were 20 or 30 per cent off on Saturday."
Meanwhile, Monday's opening day of Northamptonshire's Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Gloucestershire at Bristol was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The teams will try to get the game up and running on Tuesday.