Win Projections to be updated soon
Saif Zaib scored an incredible 86 runs in only 41 balls, including eight fours and six sixes, to lead the Northamptonshire Steelbacks to an exciting 11-run victory over Birmingham Bears and their first-ever Vitality Blast quarterfinal appearance in four years.
Together with Ravi Bopara (19), Saif Zaib scored 72 runs in nearly seven overs, helping Northamptonshire to a challenging total of 197 for 6.
The Bears were reduced to 11 for 3 after Steelbacks captain David Willey took two wickets in the first over of the run chase, including Moeen Ali’s first delivery.
However, the Bears were still very much in the hunt going into the last over of the game thanks to a stunning 93 from Sam Hain off just 60 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.
As the visitors recovered from the early loss of wickets, Hain and Jacob Bethell enjoyed a partnership of 92 runs in over ten overs. Bethell struck 50 runs off just 31 balls.
Even though Hain and George Garton continued to hit well towards the end, they were unable to secure a position in the quarterfinals, which is a comfort.
Prior to this, Garton scored with the third ball of the game when Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a straight flip to Craig Miles at backward square off his hip.
The bowlers for Warwickshire applied pressure; the only early boundaries came from leg byes. Willey then hit a ball through cover, and Northamptonshire finished the powerplay at 40 for 1.
But Willey was out shortly after, smashing a ball from Danny Briggs to Miles, who made a superb leaping catch on the deep midwicket boundary.
After taking Northamptonshire past 50 in the eighth over, Saif Zaib opened his account with three straight late cutters for four against Miles. He then skillfully stroked Briggs over extra cover for six. However, after 10 overs, the Steelbacks were just 78 for 3, when Jake Lintott came in to remove Matt Breetzke for 21.
Nevertheless, it proved to be a strong basis as Ravi Bopara slashed Moeen for successive boundaries quite early in his career. Saif Zaib hit Briggs over deep cover for another maximum, and the runs kept coming. With three fours and an incredible hook shot over fine leg, he blasted 18 runs off the next over from Lintott, reaching his half-century off just 26 balls in the process.
When Bopara chipped Briggs to deep cover in the next over, Saif Zaib barrage was finally broken by the Bears when he went for a Miles ball that flew off the top edge to Hain at mid-off.
Ashton Agar’s tenure was short-lived as he left the pitch right away after hitting Dan Mousley for a massive six, with Moeen making a daring one-handed grab behind square.
With three fours and a six from Zak Foulkes, Lewis McManus maintained his stellar Vitality Blast form, while Gus Miller casually flicked Foulkes for another maximum.
After Moeen and Mousley were both caught behind in the first over of the run chase, Willey struck quickly with the ball to take their wickets.
Ben Sanderson failed to manage the swing in the following over, giving up six runs in wides, but he was spared when Alex Davies chopped on a delivery outside off-stump.
But Hain and Bethell got going fast; Hain crossed two borders before Sanderson did. In the meantime, Bethell was quickly untangling the ropes, setting White in charge of the six food stalls, and pulling Ravi Bopara first delivery out of the ground.
Agar bowled neatly, but shortly after Bethell hit him down the ground, he gave up six, and Birmingham reached 100 in the twelfth over.
In Ravi Bopara second over, it required a breathtaking diving catch from White behind square to take Bethell out. After Chris Benjamin swiped Agar for three balls, Vasconcelos was picked out on the deep square leg boundary.
Hain continued to strike the boundary, finding a willing companion in Garton (29), even though Birmingham needed 73 off the final five overs at a pace of 14.6.
Hain swung a straight ball from Willey down the ground for six, and the visitors began the final over bowled by White with 25 needed, needing 39 off the final two overs. Hain needed three sixes and one boundary to win after Garton took three off the opening two deliveries.
After giving White a six, he took a boundary. On the next ball, White claimed a caught and bowled opportunity, but on the last delivery, Hain was caught behind.
Northampton Saints displayed the Premiership trophy they won at Twickenham last month on the outfield during the interval.
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