Latest news with #Steelbacks
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Bopara inspires Northants, Foxes edge out Lightning
Ravi Bopara produced a T20 batting masterclass to inspire Northamptonshire Steelbacks to victory in an entertaining, high-scoring contest against Derbyshire ex-England batter hit an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls to help the hosts recover from 24-3 and set a target of 195, which Derbyshire fell just seven runs short in the the North Group, Leicestershire Foxes ended Lancashire Lightning's 100% winning start to the season with a five-wicket win in a hard-fought encounter at Old who were looking to make it four wins from four, set a target of 146 but the Foxes kept their composure to chase it down with nine balls to spare. Match scorecards Steelbacks remain unbeaten, Falcons still without a win Northamptonshire Steelbacks arrived at the County Ground in Derby having won their first two games to face a Falcons side who lost their was Derbyshire who took charge in the early stages as Northamptonshire lost three wickets inside the opening five overs to slip to skipper David Willey and Bopara steadied the ship with a quickfire 75 partnership as Willey hit three sixes on his way to 37 before he holed out to Pat Brown at deep mid-wicket off Martin Andersson's first Zaib fell for seven but Bopara stepped on the gas, ably supported by Lewis McManus who contributed a useful 29 from 17 Steelbacks racked up 67 runs from the final four overs, including 24 off the last of the innings from Zak Chappell in which Bopara hit three sixes and a left the Falcons with something of a mini mountain to climb, but one which they so nearly reply could not have got off to a worse start when Aneurin Donald spooned one up to Luke Procter off Willey to be dismissed after two balls for the second game in a 0-1 became 12-2, and then 33-3 as David Lloyd and Wayne Madsen both fell without really troubling the Samit Patel. An excellent partnership of 114 between Patel and opener Caleb Jewell gave the Falcons a sniff of pulling off an excellent chase until Jewell was caught by Justin Broad off Procter for 71 from 44 skipper Patel was not to be perturbed and battled on valiantly to try and drag his side over the line, smashing four sixes and nine fours as he made an unbeaten 83. Ross Whiteley came in at the end to hit 15 from 8 balls but Derbyshire were six runs shy of at least tying a thrilling contest. Ahmed outshines Anderson at Old Trafford James Anderson marked his first T20 game for 11 years in style on Sunday, taking 3-17 as Lancashire beat Durham by four wickets in a final-ball there was to be no such joy upon Anderson's first game in the competition at Old Trafford since his return to the T20 Keaton Jennings got the hosts off to a flyer - despite his opening partner Luke Wells going for five - as he smashed 39 from 19 did well to stem the flow though and took wickets at regular intervals throughout to ensure Lightning could not build any real Rehan Ahmed, who is due to join up with England for their T20I series against the West Indies later this week, bowled wonderfully for the took Michael Jones' off stump with a ripper, and then bamboozled Australian batter Ashton Turner with a fantastic googly on his way to 3-16 from his four Trevaskis also did some great work with the ball, taking Green hit 36 towards the end of the innings for Lightning, including running four off the final ball - a rarity in T20 matches - to leave the Foxes needing 146 to win. By the end of the powerplay in Leicestershire's chase, the game was in the balance at 52-3 - Anderson took another T20 wicket with Sol Budinger caught in the deep by Josh Bohannon, and skipper Louis Kimber was making a fist of it with the hit 40 from 22 balls, including three fours and three sixes, before he edged a dolly to Luke Wells at backward point off Tom then did his bit with bat in hand too as he and Ben Cox put on 59 runs for the fifth wicket to swing the tide in Leicestershire's left Trevaskis and Cox needing less than a run a ball in the final five overs after Ahmed was bowled by Charlie two saw it home fairly comfortably in the end as Cox ended on 38 not out and Trevaskis on 22. Lancashire stay top of the North Group on net run-rate ahead of Northamptonshire in second, while Leicestershire climb to third and Derbyshire remain in seventh.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pope to replace injured Agar for Northants T20 campaign
Northamptonshire have signed Australian leg spinner Lloyd Pope for the T20 Blast after overseas star Ashton Agar was ruled out through injury. Agar had been booked to reprise his 2024 role at Wantage Road for the domestic T20 competition which starts on 29 May. But after the 31-year-old suffered a calf strain, the Steelbacks have moved quickly to secure Pope for the group stages in a like-for-like swap. Pope, who won the Big Bash with former club Sydney Sixers before joining his current franchise Adelaide Strikers, was named in the most recent Big Bash Team of the Tournament. And Northants head coach Darren Lehmann believes he will be a useful addition to the team. "Lloyd is an exciting leg spinner and will provide us with a good attacking option with the ball," Lehmann told the club website. "Not a lot of people will have seen him play and he will provide some mystery to oppositions." The Steelbacks, who have won the Blast twice, made it out of the group stages last season before losing to Somerset in the quarter-finals. They kick off their Blast campaign against Yorkshire at Headingley on 30 May.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
All-rounder Agar ruled out of Northants T20 campaign
Northamptonshire have confirmed they are searching for an overseas replacement for the T20 Blast after Australian all-rounder Ashton Agar was ruled out with had been booked to reprise his 2024 role at Wantage Road for the domestic T20 competition which starts on 29 the 31-year-old confirmed he will not now return after suffering a calf strain."I'm extremely disappointed to be missing this year's Vitality Blast with Northamptonshire," said the left-arm off spinner."I loved my time there last season, it's a fantastic club with great people and I'll be watching and supporting the boys from Perth."The Steelbacks, who have won the Blast twice, made it out of the group stages last season before losing to Somerset in the played six matches, topping their batting averages and taking four wickets.
