T20 Blast Final, Edgbaston
Northamptonshire Steelbacks 169 (19.5 overs): Vasconcelos 88; Baker 5-21
Hampshire Hawks 155 (19.2 overs): Weatherley 75; Sales 3-25
Northants won by 14 runs
Northamptonshire Steelbacks secured their third T20 Blast trophy following a thrilling encounter against the Hampshire Hawks at Edgbaston.
After electing to bat first, the Steelbacks suffered a significant collapse, losing their final eight wickets for just 31 runs. Despite this, they reached 169 thanks to a standout 88 from opener Ricardo Vasconcelos.
The Steelbacks’ bowlers mounted a resilient comeback to deny the Hawks a historic fourth title in a tense finish that lasted until the final over.
Hampshire entered the final over needing 31 runs from 20 balls with five wickets remaining, but that requirement dropped to 15 runs from six balls with only two wickets left.
Joe Weatherley, who had scored an unbeaten 88 in the semi-final earlier that day, was on 75 when he lofted a ball toward long-on, where Northants captain David Willey took the catch. On the following delivery, Ben Sanderson bowled Sonny Baker to seal a 14-run victory for the Steelbacks.
Baker, an England international, had already become the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Finals Day during Hampshire’s semi-final victory over the Notts Outlaws.
Although they claimed the early wicket of Chris Lynn, the Steelbacks regained momentum through a rapid 60-run partnership between Vasconcelos and Nathan McSweeney (30).
Vasconcelos and Lewis McManus added a further 69 runs to bring Northants to 138-2 before McManus was dismissed for 22 by Scott Currie.
This sparked a dramatic collapse as Vasconcelos was dismissed for a career-best 88 (59 balls, 11 fours, 2 sixes) to a slower ball from Baker. He was one of six wickets to fall within 12 deliveries.
Baker’s destruction included three wickets in his final over, finishing with career-best figures of 5-21 and becoming the first player to take a five-wicket haul on Finals Day in a final.
James Fuller concluded with 7-62, as the Steelbacks were dismissed in the final over.
Northamptonshire’s chase began with an immediate wicket as Toby Albert was caught off Willey, but Vince and Weatherley stabilized the innings with a 40-run partnership before Vince was caught by Vasconcelos for 17.
Weatherley, aiming to break Luke Wright’s 2018 record of 125 runs on a single Finals Day, remained at the crease as the Hawks lost Ben Mayes and Tristan Stubbs. Despite a quick 11 from Hilton Cartwright, the Hawks fell behind significantly after Sales bowled Cartwright.
Sales finished with figures of 3-25, bringing his tournament tally to 25 wickets.
Weatherley continued to lead the chase alongside Liam Dawson, but the Hawks required 74 runs from their final seven overs.
Dawson reached 35 before being run out attempting a leg-bye, leaving the Hawks needing 22 from the final two overs.
Fuller and Currie were both dismissed in the final moments of the match as Procter and Currie cleaned up the tail.
Weatherley eventually fell after a 53-ball innings including nine fours and two sixes, followed immediately by Baker, confirming the Steelbacks’ championship victory.
