Matchwinner White delighted with vital victory

Graeme White acknowledged the importance of the Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ victory over the Birmingham Bears tonight.
Graeme White took a superb catch to dismiss Ateeq JavidGraeme White took a superb catch to dismiss Ateeq Javid
Graeme White took a superb catch to dismiss Ateeq Javid

The hosts claimed a 15-run victory in the Natwest t20 Blast to keep their chances of reaching the quarter-finals alive and a great deal of it was down to the individual effort of White.

He made a quickfire 34 at the end of the Steelbacks’ innings to give them a defendable total then took two crucial wickets and an excellent catch which typified an outstanding stint in the field.

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Immediately after the game he said: “It was a big game for us tonight.

“We knew that coming into these Twenty20 fixtures they were must win and to get the win tonight was really big for us.

“We didn’t start that well with the bat but all we were looking at was to try and get some kind of total to bowl at.”

As for his own innings, White was happy to have made a good contribution and he commented: “Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t but I seemed to be striking the ball well today and tried to take advantage of that.”

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The impetus provided by White’s cameo was carried into the Bears’ reply which was stunted by the hosts’ perseverance.

White added: “I think those quick runs at the end built some momentum so we had to use that when we came out with the new ball.

“Everyone stood up tonight and did their job with the ball and it was backed up with some quite brilliant fielding.

“In this format anything can happen.”