Saif Zaib’s blistering 86 sets up win as Steelbacks seal quarter-final spot

Northamptonshire 197 for 6 (Zaib 86) beat Birmingham Bears 186 for 6 (Hain 93, Bethell 50, Willey 2-34) by 11 runs

Saif Zaib hit a blistering 86 off just 41 balls with eight fours and six sixes to set up a thrilling Northamptonshire Steelbacks victory over Birmingham Bears by 11 runs and secure their first Vitality Blast quarter-final spot in four years.

Zaib shared a partnership of 72 in almost seven overs with Ravi Bopara (19) to propel Northamptonshire to a formidable total of 197 for 6.

Steelbacks skipper David Willey struck immediately in the run chase taking two wickets in the opening over, including Moeen Ali first ball, as the Bears slumped to 11 for 3.

But a magnificent 93 from Sam Hain off just 60 balls with 10 fours and three sixes took the match into the final over with the Bears still very much in the hunt.

Hain shared a partnership of 92 in nearly 10 overs with Jacob Bethell, who hit 50 off 31 balls as the visitors bounced back from the early fall of wickets.

Despite some more big hitting from Hain and George Garton at the close, they fell short, although they can draw consolation from having already booked their quarter-final spot.

Earlier Garton struck with the third ball of the match, Ricardo Vasconcelos flicking one off his hip straight to Craig Miles at backward square.

Warwickshire’s bowlers put the squeeze on, the only early boundaries coming from leg byes before Willey punched through cover and Northamptonshire ended the powerplay on 40 for 1.

Willey fell soon after though, heaving one from Danny Briggs to Miles who took an excellent tumbling catch on the deep midwicket boundary.

Zaib opened his account with three consecutive late cuts for four off Miles to take Northamptonshire past 50 in the eighth over before stroking Briggs expertly over extra cover for six. But when Jake Lintott nipped in to remove Matt Breetzke for 21, the Steelbacks had made only 78 for 3 after 10 overs.

It proved a solid foundation though with Bopara soon into his work cutting Moeen for consecutive boundaries. Runs continued to flow as Zaib smashed Briggs over deep cover for another maximum. He plundered 18 runs off the next over from Lintott, with three fours and an outrageous hook shot over fine leg, bringing up his half-century off just 26 balls along the way.

The Bears finally broke through when Bopara chipped Briggs to deep cover and then ended Zaib’s bombardment in the next over when he reached for one from Miles, the ball flying off the top-edge to Hain at mid-off.

Ashton Agar’s stay was brief, departing immediately after taking one huge six off Dan Mousley, Moeen taking a leaping one-handed catch behind square.

Lewis McManus continued his excellent Vitality Blast form, pulling Zak Foulkes for six and hitting three fours, while Gus Miller nonchalantly flicked Foulkes for another maximum.

Willey struck immediately with the ball collecting the wickets of Moeen and Mousley, both caught behind in the opening over of the run chase.

Next over, Ben Sanderson struggled to control the swing, conceding six runs in wides but redeemed himself when Alex Davies chopped on to a ball outside off-stump.

Hain and Bethell though were quickly into their stride, Hain taking two boundaries off one Sanderson over. Bethell meanwhile was soon clearing the ropes, depositing White over the food stalls for six and also sending Bopara’s first delivery out of the ground.

Agar bowled tidily but conceded six when Bethell struck him down the ground with Birmingham reaching 100 in the twelfth over shortly afterwards.

It took a stunning diving catch from White behind square to account for Bethell in Bopara’s second over. Three balls later Chris Benjamin swept Agar, picking out Vasconcelos on the deep square leg boundary.

Hain was still motoring though and despite Birmingham needing 73 off the last five overs at a rate of 14.6, he continued to find the boundary, finding a willing partner in Garton (29).

Needing 39 off the last two overs, Hain swotted a straight ball from Willey down the ground for six and the visitors started the final over bowled by White, with 25 still required. Garton took three off the first two deliveries, leaving Hain with three sixes and one boundary to win.

He pulled White for six before taking a boundary. White put down a caught and bowled chance off the next ball but Hain was caught behind off the final delivery.

During the interval Northampton Saints took to the outfield to show off the Premiership trophy they lifted at Twickenham last month.

Vitality Blast