T20 Blast: Birmingham Bears beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks as Rob Yates & Craig Miles star

Rob Yates anchored the Bears innings, hitting eight fours and a six in his 53-ball 71

Rob Yates hit 71 and Craig Miles took 4-29 as T20 Blast North Group leaders Birmingham Bears easily defended 202-6 to beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks by 21 runs for a fourth win from four.

Yates and opening partner Alex Davies (46) set the tone for Bears, backed up by a rapid unbeaten 48 from Sam Hain.

A superb 65 from Ricardo Vasconcelos got Steelbacks off to a decent reply.

But Miles, who ended with career-best figures, starred as the Bears moved two points clear at the top of the group.

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Northants had their work cut out to avoid a third defeat in four T20 fixtures as Yates and captain Davies laid the foundations for victory at the County Ground, playing with increasing confidence and rhythm as they put on 100 for the first wicket at 10 an over.

And although Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell went first ball after Davies was stumped by Lewis McManus off the bowling of Freddie Heldreich (2-32), the Bears kept the pace up despite losing wickets at regular intervals.

Only a magnificent leaping catch by Josh Cobb on the boundary could stop Yates adding to his total, but Hain bludgeoned an unbeaten 48 off 27 balls to set a challenging target on a fine batting surface.

Vasconcelos mixed great technique and powerful hitting to give his side hope, but when the South African became the second man to fall to Miles, the hosts never fully recovered.

A battling 33 from England all-rounder David Willey, who also impressed with ball in taking 2-33, offered some resistance but the hosts fell well short.