T20 Blast: Northants beat Glamorgan by four wickets
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Northants' Brandon Glover (right) celebrates with team mate Gareth Berg after taking the wicket of Dan Douthwaite
T20 Blast, Northants v Glamorgan |
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Glamorgan 160-7 (20 overs): Balbirnie 58, Selman 35; Buck 4-29 |
Northants 161-6 (19.2 overs): Wakely 36*, Levi 28; Taylor 2-9, de Lange 2-23 |
Northants (2 pts) won by 4 wickets |
Northants edged home by four wickets with four balls to spare against Glamorgan to remain unbeaten.
Alex Wakely steered them home at 161-6 with 36 not out despite a visitors' fight-back.
Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie smashed 58 off 38 balls to lead Glamorgan to 160-7.
But Nathan Buck (4-29) kept the closing overs under control as wickets fell regularly.
Openers Nick Selman (35) and Dan Douthwaite (23) gave Glamorgan a reasonable start but Northants' four spinners, led by Graeme White (2-27) all caused them problems.
A rate of eight an over looked achievable on a hybrid Edgbaston pitch which had seen higher rates in the previous two matches there, with experienced big-hitters Richard Levi and Paul Stirling blasting 50 off the first four overs.
Both fell to Marchant de Lange in the same over and with rookie spinner Callum Taylor also claiming two, Northants were left with 37 needed off five.
Wakeley's experience and a couple of late blows by Graeme White saw them home on a night when they paid tribute to former all-rounder and coach David Capel, who died aged 57 the day before the match.
Zaib brilliance sets up Northants win
Glamorgan batsman Andrew Balbirnie told BBC Sport Wales:
"It's what we've been doing all the tournament, scrapping with relatively under-par totals and if we can get that first half right, there's no reason why we can't go on a run which we have to do now.
"Our bowlers are putting in a strong effort and us as batters have to make use of a good start which we got today.
"I haven't felt out of touch but I've found myself getting out having got starts, it was nice to occupy the crease and score at a decent rate though it was a shame I couldn't kick on.
"We probably have to win five out of five to go through, we are creating chances to win and if we can take those one percenters we can have a bit of a run."