Rehan delivers six-wicket victory as Foxes stay in the hunt

Leicestershire Foxes kept themselves in the race for a quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast after defeating Northamptonshire Steelbacks by six wickets with 23 balls to spare to go fourth in the North Group, moving ahead of their opponents, who remain in contention despite losing five matches in a row.

Rehan Ahmed was the Foxes' match-winner with an unbeaten 52 off 30 balls after Sol Budinger had hit 40 off 22, pace bowler George Scrimshaw taking three for 33 for the Steelbacks.

Josh Thomas, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner on a short-term loan from Somerset, took two for 32 on his Blast debut, with two wickets each from Logan Van Beek and Josh Hull as the Steelbacks made 171 for seven, led by Ravi Bopara with 53 from 40 balls.

Saif Zaib made 30 off 18 and skipper David Willey 27 off 18, the visitors' innings swelled by Luke Procter (22 from 17) and Ben Sanderson adding 42 unbroken after a collapse from 106 for two to 129 for seven on what looked a good pitch.

The Steelbacks lost Tim Robinson second ball when he miscued Van Beek to mid-off, with Willey dropped on nought in the same over as Sam Wood let the ball through his hands on midwicket rope, Willey picking up six more with a repeat of the shot to go with a couple of fours before mistiming Hull to be caught at short midwicket.

Another spilled chance on the boundary, this time sparing Zaib on eight, as Hull palmed one over the rope at fine leg off Tom Scriven, cost 22 runs as Zaib and Bopara added 63 in 40 balls before Zaib hit Wood straight to mid-off.

Zaib's demise prompted a collapse with five wickets falling in as many overs. Thomas, signed as cover for the injured Liam Trevaskis, bowled Justin Broad and had Lewis McManus caught at long on as his first victims in the format.

Van Beek bowled George Bartlett and Bopara, whose 50 had come off 36 balls with six fours and a slog-swept six off Louis Kimber, hit Hull straight to extra cover as the Steelbacks stumbled, before Procter and Sanderson drew on their experience in the last five overs to provide something to defend.

Willey dismissed Rishi Patel without scoring for the second time this season, taking an easy return catch off a towering top-edge, but Budinger drove Willey and twice pulled Sanderson for maximums, before Shan Masood (25 off 23) fell victim to a leg-side strangle facing Scrimshaw after he and Budinger had added 71.

The 6ft 7ins Scrimshaw picked up his second in his next over as Budinger swatted a full toss straight to wide mid-on. Kimber lifted Aussie wrist-spinner Lloyd Pope over long-off for six before both Rehan, on 18, and Kimber, on 12, were dropped by Bopara at extra cover in an eventful next over by Pope, who was also lifted for two sixes by Rehan.

Scrimshaw returned to bowl Kimber at 118 for four but after Ben Cox had scooped Willey for an inventive six the Foxes needed 38 from 36 balls, but that came down to 21 off 24 after Rehan cut Zaib for four and drove him down the ground for six, the night continuing to go wrong for the Steelbacks as Cox was missed on the long-on boundary on 14, picking up six more, after which the end came quickly after Willey's last over went for 18, Rehan completing his half-century off 30 balls with the winning boundary off Sanderson.