Bears forced to wait as Steelbacks progress to quarter-finals

BIRMINGHAM Bears will have to wait to seal their place in the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast following a 74-run defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road last night.

Northants booked their place with a near-perfect batting display with Graeme White taking a hat-trick to seal the win.

Adam Rossington’s 85 got the Steelbacks off to a flyer, before Alex Wakely hit a 20-ball half century to take his side to 200-5, their second highest total in T20 at the County Ground.

Ian Bell’s classy 62 led the chase, but after he was fifth man out, the Bears spectacularly collapsed in the face of an ever-rising required rate, six wickets falling for seven runs at one stage, including White’s treble, as the visitors were dismissed for 126.

Bears skipper Ian Bell felt his side hadn’t been aggressive enough at the start of the match, saying: "You can’t afford to ease yourself in and I felt for the first time this season we went out there too nice, too friendly, you’ve got to be aggressive and set the tone.

"They’ve got good hitters at the top of the order and felt we were too nice.

“At half-time I said to the boys those kind of totals are chaseable these days, but I’m disappointed we’ve collapsed like we have as we were ticking along nicely.

“The guys were giving it everything but it was up to 20 an over at one point, it’s happened a little bit too much for us this season but it is what it is.”

Bears, who now face Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston on Friday night, are third in the North Group standings and still have a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals.