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Friday 11th June, at Northampton (F)

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Match Report
An injury concern to Worcestershire skipper Vikram Solanki meant a first team debut for 19 year old Jack Manuel in the Twenty/20 match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Northampton.

Former Worcestershire favourite Andrew Hall won the toss for Northants and elected to bat first. The Steelback openers, also both ex-Worcestershire players, Lou Vincent and Chaminda Vaas got the home side off to a solid start in the opening power play overs. Vaas and Niall O’Brien (31) scored a 2nd wicket stand of 71 before both being dismissed within four balls of each other.

Vaas top scored for the home side with 54 off 42 deliveries after taking advantage of having been dropped a couple of times during his innings. Worcestershire then restricted Northants to 143-8 in their 20 over allocation with Jack Shantry taking 2-24 in 3 overs and Steve Smith unlucky not to get a wicket with 0-25 in his 4 overs.

Worcestershire began their reply still in bright sunshine, with the flood-lights not really being required. Vaas opened the bowling as well for Northants and picked up an early wicket, that of Jack Manuel for 3. A mix up in calling meant Moeen Ali was run out for 19 just at the stage of the innings when Worcestershire were looking to push on.

James Middlebrook produced a fine spell of 2-12 in his four overs, helped by fellow spinners Andrew Hall and Nicky Boje who kept the pressure on the Worcestershire batsmen and ensured the required run rate kept rising after each over.

In the lower order skipper Daryl Mitchell scored 21 off 18 deliveries Ben Scott scored an unbeaten 23* off 22 deliveries, sharing a 7th wicket stand of 39 but boundaries were always hard to come by in the face of some good fielding and the required run rate was always just out of reach.

Worcestershire reached 122-8 in their 20 overs giving Northants their first victory in the competition this year.

Northamptonshire (143-8) beat Worcestershire (122-8) by 21 runs.
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Alternative articles and match reports on Worcestershire County Cricket Club maybe found on the links below.

The IndependentTest Match Special