Northamptonshire Steelbacks Vitality T20 Blast at Wantage Road, Northampton Win

CHRISTIAN SETS NEW OUTLAWS HIGH AS STEELBACKS WILT IN CHASE

After a Duckett assault, the hosts' innings melts away in pursuit 

A Notts Twenty 20 best of 113 not out by Dan Christian saw Notts to an emphatic 58 run victory at a hot and humid Wantage Road last night. Christian came in with Notts struggling at 81 for 4 with only 62 balls remaining. He faced forty of them and blasted seven fours and nine sixes as the crowd ducked for cover. His ton (37 balls) was the second fastest ever in domestic T20 history (only bettered by Andrew Symonds (34 balls) for Kent versus Middlesex at The Mote in Maidstone 14 years ago) and the seventh fastest Worldwide. The fastest recorded T20 ton is 30 balls by Chris Gayle in the IPL in 2013. With help from Patel (35), Notts added 138 runs in the last 10.2 overs of their innings. Duckett got Northants off to a flyer taking 30 off one over from Patel, Northants 45 for 0 off 3 overs. But the Steelbacks then lost wickets regularly as Fletcher and Gurney picked up three wickets a piece and Ish Sodhi bowled an economical spell. Duckett who was slowed down by the introduction of Mullaney and Sodhi raced to 50 in 17 balls and was eventually out for 88 off 45 balls with nine fours and four sixes. The rest of the Steelbacks line up gave Notts catching practice. Although the highlight was the run out of the home skipper by Fraine. The only concern for Notts was Patel's three overs going for 50 (4, 30 and 16 respectively - although the first two were in the power play) following his 2 overs for 28 on Wednesday.

Northants won the toss and inserted Notts, with the Green and Gold making two enforced changes to their line up with Nash and Ball being replaced by Will Fraine and Paul Coughlin finally making his Notts debut after major shoulder surgery. Fraine who scored an impressive century for the Seconds at Worksop College on Thursday is a promising bat and a good field, although he is still recovering from his knee injury. Coughlin was only selected for his batting; his ability to bowl is still some weeks ahead. 

Notts opened with Wessels and Mullaney. 

Ben Sanderson bowled the first over from the Pavilion End and conceded eight including a boundary for Mullaney. Kleinveldt on for over two and Mullaney found the ropes twice more as a further 10 were added. Wessels (6) hit Sanderson for a straight four and next ball lost his middle stump to the former Yorkshire man, 22 for one. Moores then hit two fours off Sanderson, 32 for one off 3 overs. Kleinveldt conceded 12 but off his last ball Moores (15) was rapped on his pad and was plumb leg before, 44 for two. Nathan Buck replaced Sanderson who removed Mullaney second ball caught behind for 22, 44 for three. Prasanna then came on with his leg spinners as Notts finished the power play on 50 for three. Seven runs came off Buck's second over with Root repeatedly playing and missing. Prasanna was then reverse swept for four by Root, Notts 66 for three after 8 overs. Former Notts man Graeme White entered the fray and was hit for a straight six by Patel. He then hit for four through mid wicket, 13 off the over. Root (21) fell to fine diving catch by Crook off Prasanna, 81 for four in the 10th over. A village cricket mix up between Kleinveldt and Levi saw Patel survive a leg side chance off Buck, both fielders leaving it to each other, ten off the over. White switched to the Wilson End and conceded six runs. Christian hit Prasanna (4-0-21-1) for four backward of point, but Notts were struggling on 104 for four off 13 overs. The Notts innings then exploded with a further 115 runs off the last seven overs. Samit Patel hit White (3 0 45 0) for another straight six. Christian then helped himself to a massive six over mid wicket off the same bowler and then just cleared the fielder at long off for another six, then another six over long on meant 26 off the over. Sanderson returned and went for nine. Crook replaced the less than Mighty White and a full toss was deposited for a leg side by the swashbuckling Christian and two followed to bring Christian's 50 off 21 balls, 151 for 4 off 16 overs. An enormous six from Christian saw him clear the Spencer Pavilion, Buck the bowler. A wide followed then an offside four then a couple balls later a four through extra cover, then a six into the Burger Van at square leg. The over rounded off with a Chinese cut for four, 27 off the over. 

The scoreboard was in meltdown. 

Buck 4-0-47-1. Kleinveldt had Patel (35) caught at backward point by Buck, the fifth wicket had added 97 runs off 7.3 overs. Nine off the 18th over. Coughlin was bowled by Sanderson for four, 189 for six with nine balls remaining. Fraine got a single then another brutal leg side six from Christian, 197 for six off 19 overs. Kleinveldt (4-0-53-2) offered Christian a full toss which was gratefully accepted, another leg side six. A four through point saw Christian to his ton off 37 balls. Then after two a six was hit over mid wicket. 219 for 6 Christian 113 off 40 balls with seven fours and nine sixes (scoring rate 282.5 runs per 100 balls), he left to a standing ovation from the small smattering of Notts fans. Fraine 1 not out. 

The crowd overall was three quarters full.
Patel opened from the Wilson End and conceded four. Gurney then went for 11. Duckett with shots all round the wicket hit Patel for three successive sixes then three fours as the third over went for 30. The home crowd was getting increasingly excited – more Franklin Gardens than sleepy Wantage Road. But with his first ball, Fletcher removed Levi (3) caught behind 45 for one. 

The announcer who was struggling all night mistaking The Bomber for Matt Carter! 

Harry Gurney bowled the next over and Cobb (6) exited being well caught by Root at deep mid wicket, 62 for two. Fletcher went for 11 in the sixth over as Northants ended the power play on 74 for two.

The seventh over was bowled by Mullaney who picked up a wicket with his fifth ball when Vasconcelos (10) holed at long on with skipper Christian taking the catch, 77 for 3. The eighth over saw Sodhi concede five. The ninth over was bowled by Mullaney who had conceded just 11 off his first two overs. Captain Wakely (12) who hit Sodhi for six two balls later was run out by Will Fraine hesitating going for a second run, Fraine fielding at wide long on did a fine stop as a laser like throw removed Wakely as he was sent back by Duckett, Sodhi removing the bails, 98 for 4. Mullaney went for nine. Sodhi then went for seven, Northants 115 for four after 12 and now struggling. Mullaney got hit for a straight six by Duckett but then he mistimed the ball as Coughlin caught a steepling catch at deep cover, Duckett out for 88. With a hot air balloon passing over the ground, Northants hopes were floating away. Patel swapping to the Pavilion End went for 16 via a six to Crook and two fours. Patel three overs for 50. Sodhi came back and after getting hit for six by Prasanna, he got his man with his last ball. Prasanna (12) was caught at deep square leg by Root, 150 for 6. Sodhi 4 0 30 1. Next ball, Gurney got Crook (18) caught at wide long off in front of player's dressing room by Dan Christian. Next over Fletcher obtained two wickets in an over. With his second ball Kleinveldt (1) was caught at long leg by Coughlin and with his fifth ball White (5) skied to third man where Gurney held on, 157 for nine. Gurney bowled the 18th over and with 15 balls remaining Buck (3) lost his leg stump. Northants 161 all out. Notts had held their nerve despite the initial onslaught from Duckett. Fletcher 3 for 21 off 3 overs and Gurney 3 for 30 off 3.3 overs and the wily Mullaney 4-0-29 2. 

The Notts hero though was man of the match Christian who through brute force destroyed Northants. His score of 113 not out being three larger than Wessels 110 v Derby last season. Christian also resisted the temptation to bowl himself. A good win for Notts with the top order batting though remaining an area of concern. MAG