Ripley loves it when a batting plan comes together

A concentration on power at the top of the order came to fruition at Edgbaston on Saturday much to the satisfaction of Northamptonshire head coach David Ripley.
The Steelbacks celebrate their Friends Life t20 win at Edgbaston, a success that was built around a powerful batting line-upThe Steelbacks celebrate their Friends Life t20 win at Edgbaston, a success that was built around a powerful batting line-up
The Steelbacks celebrate their Friends Life t20 win at Edgbaston, a success that was built around a powerful batting line-up

A pair of clinically brutal performances with the bat saw off both Essex and Surrey in spectacular style and Ripley admitted that the batting was an area that was deliberately strengthened ahead of the Friends Life t20 campaign.

He said: “There’s no doubt that one of the things we were lacking last year was firepower.

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“We did some stats and we were nowhere compared to the best teams in terms of fours and sixes.

“When you’ve got that kind of firepower and experience, Cam White has played a lot of Twenty20 cricket and he’s good to bat around and he has a big finish.”

Ripley also alluded to the attitude of the imports as being crucial in the team’s success, adding: “The other thing about the guys we’ve brought in is that they’ve cared about what we’re trying to do and that’s been very important for Al (Wakely) and the rest of the guys to know that you’ve got someone who’s not just looking after their own game, they want to win and wualify for the quarter-finals and then finals day - they want to win.”

Whwn questioned as to whether this victory could provide a springboard to future success, Ripley was cautiously optimnistic.

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He continued: “I’d like to think so. The format changes next year so there’s not this little block so squads will be tested unless you’re a particularly wealthy county who can employ overseas players for longer which isn’t going to be our go.

“We’d love to keep these young guys together and hopefully winning cricket matches is a good feeling and being part of the team is special and it’s not all about cash.”