White innings too much for Lancashire
Rob White's brilliant knock helped Northamptonshire keep their Friends Provident t20 quarter-final hopes alive with a 11-run win over Lancashire
16-Jul-2010
Rob White's brilliant knock helped Northamptonshire Steelbacks keep their Friends Provident t20 quarter-final hopes alive with a 11-run win over Lancashire Lightning at Wantage Road. White, who has struggled for runs this season, blasted 80 off 58 balls, his knock including seven fours and four sixes, as the Steelbacks reached 170 4 for off their 20 overs.
Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry continued his impressive tournament by taking two for 29. Despite an explosive 41 off 22 balls from wicketkeeper Gareth Cross, Lancashire fell short of their target and deal a blow to their bid for a home tie in the last-eight.
Lancashire won the toss and chose to bowl and they gave Northamptonshire an early scare when West Indies international Daren Powell almost ran out White from mid-on White and his opening partner Chaminda Vaas quickly combined in a stand of 77 before the Parry struck in the 12th over.
Vass had progressed to 29 before he lifted the spinner to Steven Croft at long-on. White went on to reach his half-century from 46 balls before David Sales departed in the same fashion as Vaas, with Sajid Mahmood this time taking the catch at long-on off Parry.
White then smashed three sixes in consecutive balls off Powell in the 16th over before he finally perished by scooping England Lions paceman Mahmood to Tom Smith at extra cover. Smith then bowled Alex Wakely, who made 20, before Zimbabwe international Elton Chigumbura and Steelbacks captain Andrew Hall, unbeaten on 16 and 11 respectively, guided the home side through the last two overs.
Chasing 171, the Lightning got off to a poor start when Stephen Moore edged Jack Brooks to wicketkeeper David Murphy in the second over. His fellow opener Smith made 16 before he went cheaply by smashing David Willey to Sales at midwicket.
Croft looked composed as he made 24 before he tickled the finest of edges to Murphy off the bowling of Chigumbura. Captain Mark Chilton went for 7 when he was trapped lbw by James Middlebrook before Wakely took one of the catches of the tournament when he snared Paul Horton with a flying one-hander at long-on in the same over.
Vaas then claimed the wicket of Nathan McCullum, when the New Zealander launched him to Middlebrook at backward point, as the Lightning fell short despite Mahmood's 27 off 10 balls.