Keith Barker powers Warwickshire win
Keith Barker's explosive innings allowed the Warwickshire Bears to ease to victory by six wickets against the Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road and move second in the North Group
10-Jul-2010
Keith Barker's explosive innings allowed the Warwickshire Bears to ease to victory by six wickets against the Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road and move second in the North Group.
Alex Wakely, with 41 from 30 balls including three fours and one six, top-scored for the hosts as they recovered from 41 for three to post 149 for 5 in their 20 overs, with Chris Woakes taking 3 for 21.
Barker then crunched 48 from 28 balls as the Bears chased down their target with 11 balls to spare, despite Zimbabwe international Elton Chigumbura taking three wickets in four balls in the middle of a spell where he took 3 for 19.
Northamptonshire won the toss and chose to bat in glorious conditions and David Sales made 16 before holing out in the fourth over to Chris Woakes, with Ant Botha taking the catch at mid-off. Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien (8) followed him back to the pavilion when he launched Barker high in the air and was caught by the bowler.
Chaminda Vaas, who has made a string of half-centuries in this competition recently, made 16 before edging Imran Tahir to former England wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose to leave the Steelbacks on 41 for 3.
The fourth-wicket pairing of Stephen Peters and Wakely stabilised the hosts' innings, however, putting on 77 between them in 11 overs. But Woakes removed both in the 17th over when he forced Peters, who scored 39 off 31 balls, to top-edge him and be caught at short third man by Botha.
Two balls later, Wakely smashed him down to Steffan Piolet at long-off, then Chigumbura's 15 not out and captain Andrew Hall with an unbeaten seven guided Northants to the end of their innings.
Chasing 147, Warwickshire lost Neil Carter (8) with the last ball of the first over when he drove Vaas to David Lucas at gully. Darren Maddy and Barker then rapidly built a fifty partnership in the next five overs as the Bears managed to put themselves comfortably ahead of the required run-rate.
The second-wicket pair had added 77 between them in 41 balls before Chigumbura forced Maddy, who made 30 off 24 balls, to edge to O'Brien. Needing 54 runs from 10 overs, Warwickshire lost two wickets in consecutive balls when Barker smashed Chigumbura to Hall at extra cover before captain Jim Troughton (1) edged him to O'Brien.
But an unbeaten stand of 54 between Ian Westwood and Ambrose, not out on 24 and 30 respectively, eased the Bears home in the penultimate over.