Derbyshire 160 for 4 (Cam 43, U Bluey 40*). Northamptonshire 156 for 8 (K 47, Zaman 3-26) by six wickets
The Steelbacks, who won the toss and elected to bat, lost Ricardo Vasconcelos in the opening over, being pinned leg before by offspinner Alex Thompson. That wicket brought Chris Lynn to the crease and the big-hitting Queenslander pulled a short ball from Jack Chappell over midwicket for six, combining brute force with clever placement as he reached 33 from 23.
However, Lynn, trying to smash Thompson’s first ball over the powerplay, dismissed the long-on fielder and Derbyshire asserted control as George Scrimshaw sent Justin Pratt cartwheeling over the middle stump. Scrimshaw also claimed the prize wicket of David Willey, caught behind at a wrong pull, which meant the Steelbacks needed Kay, who saw little strike early on, to hold their innings together.
The left-hander looked to be on the verge of his second T20I half-century, taking Zaman to the cover boundary to reach 47 – but the Pakistan international had the last word with his next delivery, a fast-swinging yorker that took out Kay’s leg stump. .
It was a similar story for Saif Zaib, Zaman’s 25 from 13, punching his next ball straight at long-off, before Ben Sanderson’s audacious ramp in the final over had to pull Northamptonshire. Over 150.
However, the Falcons found it difficult to get the ball out early in their reply, stumbling for 37 for the loss of Lewis Rees and Haider Ali in the powerplay – the latter giving Tom Taylor the charge and leaping into the gloves of Lewis McManus. .
Taylor was unlucky not to add Madson’s scalp, escaping a compelling lbw appeal before he struck and took advantage of the close call by drilling the bowler back down the ground. There was also frustration in the field for Taylor, who did well to stop Game’s drive from crossing the long-off fence off Freddie Heldrich, but couldn’t hold on after the ball was replayed.
Madsen continued to bowl brilliantly until Willey bowled the veteran from 24 for 35. But Du Blooy kept the scoreboard moving, finding the boundary regularly enough to keep Derbyshire in touch and driving Sanderson for six in the last over before Taylor conceded four wides to end the match.
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