Steelbacks impervious to Scorpions' sting

Northants Steelbacks have breezed to a seven-wicket victory over Derbyshire Scorpions in a floodlit Norwich Union League second division tussle at Wantage Road.

The Steelbacks were stronger in all departments as they made light of the Scorpions lowly 143 all out, crossing the winning line with more than 17 overs to spare thanks to Mike Hussey's fine unbeaten 72.

The win takes the Steelbacks second, and in a good position to push for promotion. The Scorpions are left in the bottom three, contemplating another season in the second division.

Earlier in the day the Scorpions, shorn of Dominic Cork (England duty), Michael Di Venuto and Graeme Welch (both injured) simply could not get going against a disciplined attack, despite choosing to bat on a pitch that remained good for batting throughout.

A tight opening spell from Cousins and Greenidge (who finished with career best one-day figures of 3-22) set the tone, with Stephen Stubbings falling to a good, low catch by Sales at slip off Greenidge as he played an extravagant drive.

Gait, slashing at Greenidge without any foot movement, followed for 23 and after 15 overs the Scorpions had compiled just 42-2.

Selwood, who came out to bat to Kenny Rogers' 'Coward of the County,' lived dangerously. Dropped by Sales at slip off Penberthy, he eventually fell to the same bowler. In attempting to turn the ball on the leg side he succeeded only in dollying a leading edge to Hussey at point.

Bassano's innings was tortuous. His 11 occupied 49 balls, and included a reprieve from Sales at slip, slashing at Penberthy. But the bowler got his man, when the batsman missed an expansive heave and was struck on the back leg. Penberthy, the Steelbacks beneficiary, finished with 2-16 from nine miserly overs.

The Scorpions could ill afford another slip up, but when Sutton drove to a diving Brophy at cover and was sent back by his Dowman it left the innings in disarray at 63-5.

A couple of good drives from Jason Kerr, in partnership with stand-in skipper, Matthew Dowman, gave the visitors some hope in a stand of 39, though the pair enjoyed plenty of fortune. Kerr was lucky not to be caught when turning Brown away on the leg-side, but instead benefited with five runs as the throw-in struck Dowman and the ball ran away to the boundary.

Together the pair brought up the 100, before Jeff Cook responded to being driven through the covers for four with a quicker ball that Dowman, attempting to dab away on the off side, nicked to Bailey, standing up behind the stumps.

Kerr greeted Swann into the attack with the shot of the innings, dancing to the pitch of the ball and drilling it for four. His 65* against the same opponents earlier in the season took his team to victory, and for a while he made batting look easy. Certainly his foot movement and straight hitting were an example to his less orthodox team-mates as he compiled an attractive 45.

But when he was sent back by Lungley, looking for an optimistic single, the Scorpions were 135-7 and their last hope of setting a really competitive target was over.

A super direct hit to the bowler's end from Hussey at point did for Mohammad Ali, Dean skied Greenidge to Swann at long-on and Lungley became the fourth man run out when attempting a pretty desperate single off Swann as the Scorpions failed to bat out their overs. The target was never likely to be enough.

In reply Hussey, the Steelbacks skipper, and Loye started as if they had a train to catch, taking 20 off the first two overs.

Loye was in particularly aggressive mood, following an on-driven boundary with a swept six over mid-wicket off Kevin Dean to bring up the 50. But later in the same over Loye fell, caught at cover-point, driving uppishly.

The Steelbacks wobbled somewhat as Sales fell to another Kerr long-hop, helping it straight down the throat of Selwood at long leg and Brophy, a South African who qualifies through EU regulations, was beaten for pace by Mohammad Ali, edging an attempted pull to the keeper.

But Hussey continued untroubled, first pulling, then driving Dean for boundaries before swatting Kerr's first ball, a pretty friendly long-hop, to the square leg fence. His 50 came up in just 47 balls, with seven boundaries.

Cook provided the stability Hussey needed. He on-drove Kerr for four before square cutting Ali for four more in an attractive cameo of 37 not out as the pair added an unbroken 58 for the fourth wicket to see their side to the most comfortable of victories in just the 28th over.