Sanderson makes it six straight wins for Steelbacks

Ben Sanderson sealed an historic, unprecedented sixth straight Vitality Blast victory for Northamptonshire Steelbacks with three wickets in the penultimate over against Birmingham Bears at Wantage Road. Sanderson finished with figures of 3 for 31 as the hosts wrapped up a dramatic 10-run victory.

With Moeen Ali well set on 31, the Bears needed 24 off the last two overs before Sanderson broke through, collecting three wickets in four balls, including the dangerous Moeen, to extend his tally in this year's competition to 17.

Justin Broad had smashed 60 off 35 balls to help propel Northamptonshire Steelbacks to 184 for 6. Matthew Breetzke also struck 53 off 36 balls, his first half-century of the season, during a partnership of 59 in six overs with skipper David Willey (34).

Birmingham's Pakistan international Hassan Ali finished with figures of 3 for 42 including two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the Steelbacks' final over.

Dan Mousley led the charge for the Bears with a brilliant 68 off 42 balls, with Tom Latham contributing 34. George Scrimshaw backed up career-best figures at Derby with 2 for 25, while Willey also claimed two.

The Steelbacks reached 52 for 1 in the powerplay, losing Ricardo Vasconcelos early, bowled by Hassan before Breetzke went on the charge against George Garton, hitting consecutive boundaries and pulling square for a huge six.

Breetzke reached his half-century by swinging Moeen for four and six off consecutive balls but skied another attempted pull off Moeen's next delivery, Kai Smith running in from deep midwicket to take the catch.

At first Willey and Broad found it difficult to force the ball away before Broad broke the shackles, sweeping Moeen for four before Willey swung high over deep midwicket for six. Broad then took three consecutive boundaries off Danny Briggs on both sides of the wicket.

Garton finally accounted for Willey who was brilliantly caught by a tumbling Jake Lintott at fine- leg, but Broad continued to play shots before ramping Hassan to bring up his half-century.

Saif Zaib (15) smashed a slower ball from Hassan down the ground for six but was caught and bowled by Mousley soon afterwards.

Broad pummelled Hassan over deep midwicket but was bowled attempting another big shot. Lewis McManus top-edged Hassan's next delivery, keeper Alex Davies taking the catch before Luke Procter sent the final ball to the boundary.

Chasing, Birmingham lost Davies in the third over off a top-edge against Willey, Scrimshaw holding a diving catch at fine leg.

Mousley used his feet well, coming down the wicket to hit boundaries off the seamers and continued to accumulate against the slower bowlers, reverse sweeping Lloyd Pope for six.

Latham fell to a well-judged boundary catch by Zaib when he clipped a Scrimshaw delivery off his legs, before Sam Hain gloved the fast man through to the keeper as he backed away.

Moeen hooked Scrimshaw high over fine leg for six, but the pacer responded brilliantly, conceding just three runs off his next over.

Mousley garnered two boundaries off Procter and with the Bears needing just 53 off the last five, the momentum looked firmly in their favour. But Northamptonshire skipper Willey made the vital breakthrough when he had Mousley caught behind off an attempted hook.

Broad was pulled over fine leg for six by Moeen, but he removed Barnard through a dazzling boundary catch from Willey running backwards at long-off. The ever-dependable Sanderson then bowled Garton, trapped Moeen lbw and had Hassan caught at long-on to all but seal victory.