White settles Northants nerves

Australia international Cameron White starred yet again as Northamptonshire claimed their second Yorkshire Bank 40 win in three days with a four-wicket victory over Netherlands.

Playing in their last match in this year's competition, Netherlands were limited to 176 for 8 from their 40 overs with White and Muhammad Azharullah each taking two wickets. White's 63 not out off 86 balls then helped Northants recover from a bad start to their chase and reach their target with 19 deliveries remaining to stay in the hunt for the semi-finals.

Netherlands won the toss and chose to bat but they lost Steven Myburgh for 11 in the third over when Steven Crook's delivery crashed into his off-stump. Michael Swart then went cheaply for 26 when he swept Andrew Hall straight to Matt Spriegel at deep midwicket.

Netherlands wicketkeeper Wesley Barresi toiled to 18 off 50 balls before he was eventually put out of his misery when he was bowled by James Middlebrook. Ben Cooper plundered 29 off as many deliveries before he was trapped lbw to become Australia international White's first victim.

Tim Gruijters was next to depart when he was taken by Lee Daggett running in from mid-off off White before Netherlands captain Peter Borren smashed Spriegel to Kyle Coetzer at long-on. Mudassar Bukhari then perished in the final over on 28 when he played Azharullah on to his stumps. The same bowler took out Paul van Meekeren's off-stump two balls later, leaving Dominic Michael unbeaten on 25.

Chasing 177, Northants lost their captain Alex Wakely for 5 when he was pinned lbw by Bukhari in the third over before David Sales pulled the same man to Michael at square leg two overs later and departed for 9. The hosts were then left struggling on 44 for 4 when Scotland international Coetzer and Crook both edged van Meekeren to Barresi in the ninth over.

A stand of 86 between fifth-wicket pair White and Middlebrook put Northants back on track, but it was broken when Middlebrook was bowled for 37 by 15-year-old offspinner Daniel Doram. Nerves were sent jangling again when Swart's delivery hit Spriegel's off stump and sent him packing for five - but White helped to soothe them by completing his half-century off 66 balls as the hosts edged to victory.

Hall contributed a valuable 21 not out but it inevitably it was White who sealed the win with two runs off a van Meekeren no ball in the 37th over.