Report & Reaction: Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Hampshire Hawks Men, Vitality Blast (Final)

Vitality Blast, - Men’s - Finals Day final: Northamptonshire 169 (Vasconcelos 88, Baker 5/21) beat Hampshire 155 (Weatherley 75, Sales 3/25) by 14  runs

By Joseph Chapman, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Northamptonshire Steelbacks claimed their third Vitality Blast title by beating Hampshire Hawks by 14 runs in Saturday’s Finals Day final at Edgbaston.

Ricardo Vasconcelos hit 88 (59 balls) as the Steelbacks, who last lifted the trophy in 2016, were put in by Hampshire and set the 2022 victors 170 for glory, having been bowled out thanks in no small part to Sonny Baker (5 for 21). 

The Hawks, though, came up short in the chase, in a final in which all 20 wickets fell. That was despite the efforts of Joe Weatherley (75 from 53 balls), who averaged 163 for the day having smoked an unbeaten 88 in his semi-final outing.

The Steelbacks surrendered early the crucial wicket of Chris Lynn, who when cramped for room pulled Baker straight to Chris Wood, but Vasconcelos and Nathan McSweeney exploited the powerplay and put 60 on.

McSweeney (30 from 16) had to depart when James Fuller made an excellent call to review an LBW shout, but Vasconcelos reclaimed the run-scoring responsibility.

Lewis McManus (22 from 17) stayed with the opener until the 16th over, by which point the third wicket was worth 69 runs. Northants were looking at a score akin to Hampshire’s 187 in their semi-final victory, but the returning Baker ensured they fell short.

The England seamer wreaked havoc as he ripped through the Northants lower order; his final two overs returned figures of 4/3 and included the prize wicket of Vasconcelos, who exited 12 runs short of his century.

Having been in a position of strength at 138 for 2, the Steelbacks collapsed to 169 all out - at one stage six wickets fell for just 12 runs and in the space of 13 balls.

Hampshire’s pursuit of 170 got off to the worst possible start when David Willey, who struck with the first ball of the innings in the semi-final victory over Somerset, did so again to remove Toby Albert.

Fellow opener Weatherley and captain James Vince had put on 126 for the second wicket in their semi-final and the foundations for another substantial partnership were laid again, until Vince (17, 16) sent James Sales (3 for 25) up in the air and Vasconcelos took a simple catch.

That put the brakes on Hampshire’s chase and the Steelbacks slowly began to reward their tight bowling with wickets; young Ben Mayes skied another Sales delivery to Calvin Harrison and then the leg spinner himself got in on the action with a ripper which pitched on leg and claimed Tristan Stubbs’ off-bail.

Weatherley remained defiant and became the first ever player to score two Finals Day half-centuries through his efforts to keep Hampshire’s hopes alive.

Liam Dawson (35, 18) joined Weatherley at the crease and began to reverse the momentum with an explosive cameo before he was run out following miscommunication with Weatherley.

Scoreboard pressure played its part in the final throes as the Steelbacks triumphed in the final over when Ben Sanderson dismissed Weatherley and then cleaned up Baker.