Power players can propel Steelbacks to victory at Durham

David Ripley has backed Northants' big-hitters to get the better of Durham today (2.30pm).
Steelbacks head coach David Ripley takes his side to Durham today (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Steelbacks head coach David Ripley takes his side to Durham today (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Steelbacks head coach David Ripley takes his side to Durham today (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

But the Steelbacks head coach knows his men must take their fielding A game to Chester-le-Street if they are to earn their first win of this season's NatWest T20 Blast competition.

Northants have not got a good record at Durham in T20, losing on each of their past four visits to the Riverside Ground.

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The last time the Steelbacks won there in a 20-over match was way back in 2010 - and another difficult task awaits this weekend.

But Northants did beat Durham in the final of last season's competition and Ripley remains in confident mood, despite seeing his side beaten by Derbyshire Falcons on Friday night.

"It will be a tough game at Durham," Ripley said.

"We haven't got a good record there and we know it will be a different type of game because their boundaries are very big.

"There's a lot of running, a lot of ground fielding and that's not our strength. Our strength is boundaries.

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"We'll have to really front up, we've got to be really good in the field, but I still think our power can win the day.

"We have lost three games on the trot at the start one year and we still made it to the quarters, but we don't want to put ourselves in that situation again."