Lynn and Cobb star as Steelbacks hammer Rapids in Blast

The Australian blitzed the Rapids bowlers to all corners of Wantage Road as he raced to a brutal 113 not out from just 58 balls, hitting eight fours and nine sixes to match his career-best T20 score.

It was also a great night for skipper Josh Cobb, who hit 50 and then claimed a career-best five for 25 with the ball as Northants made it four home wins on the spin.

The Steelbacks rattled up their third 200-plus score of the tournament as they made 220 for three, with Cobb hitting a 30-ball half-century, and Rapids were never in the hunt after they were reduced to 21 for three in the third over of their reply.

They eventually made 147 all out, with Tom Taylor backing up his captain with three wickets.

Lynn's ton was his second of the summer, he also hit 106 not out against Leicestershire Foxes last week, and continues his hot run of form for the County.

But there is concern that Lynn's efforts may have come at a cost as he suffered an injury that meant he needed a runner for the final six overs of the innings.

The Steelbacks named an unchanged team from the one the secured wins in the previous two matches against Durham and Derbyshire.

Cobb won the toss and decided to bat, but the visitors made the breakthrough after just three balls, Ben Curran top edging a reverse sweep off Rapids' Jacques Banton, who was making his debut.

That brought big-hitting Cobb and Lynn together, and despite a scratchy start they started to find their touch and had guided their team to 57 for one by the end of the powerplay.

Cobb was looking in particularly good touch, racing to 35 from 19 balls.

The eighth over saw Cobb send a huge six on to the roof of the Lynn Wilson Centre, with Lynn also crunching a straight six a couple of balls later as Brett D'Oliveira's over went for 18 and the Steelbacks moved to 79 for one.

Lynn was now getting into gear, and he hammered the ninth over, bowled by Dillon Pennington for 24, in the process bringing up his 50 with a huge six over mid-wicket.

Cobb also reached his 50 as the Steelbacks powered on, but the partnership was broken with the score on 117 as Cobb drilled a lofted drive off Dwayne Bravo to Moeen Ali at mid-off, who took a good catch above his head.

There was no stopping Lynn though, and in the next over he hit three successive sixes off the bowling of Ed Barnard, although seemed to suffer an injury hitting one of them over extra cover.

He was clearly struggling and Curran came on as a runner, which allowed the Australian to continue and reach an absolutely stunning century from just 48 balls.

Despite Lynn's injury reining him in, the runs kept coming at the other end, with Saif Zaib hitting 27 off 21 balls and Jimmy Neesham unleashing some big hits to make 24 from just 11 balls to see the Steelbacks to a total of 220 for three.

Dwayne Bravo was easily the pick of the Rapids bowlers, producing a superb spell of canny seam bowling to take two for 15 from his four overs.

The Rapids needed a good start to stand any chance, but they endured a nightmare as they were were reduce to 16 for three in the third over.

Jake Libby clipped a Cobb delivery to Curran at square leg off the second ball of the innings before Taylor claimed the crucial wickets of Moeen and Colin Munro in the third.

Moeen was bowled before Munro edged his second ball behind to Lewis McManus, although the batter looked very unhappy at the decision.

Jack Haynes hit some sweet shots and briefly threatened a counter-attack as Rapids ended the powerplay on 46 for three, but in the next over he hit a Graeme White ball straight to Neesham at long-off.

Rapids were 53 for four and the game was up.

There was resistance and good hitting from D'Oliveira and Barnard, but it was all in a lost cause as they were rushed out 147 after 16.4 overs, with Cobb claiming four late wickets to claim his first T20 five-wicket haul.