Ripley ready to shuffle the pack as Steelbacks target Blast qualification

David Ripley's side travel to Taunton to take on Somerset this evening (5pm start) and then go to Edgbaston to do battle with Birmingham Bears on Sunday (1pm).

Two victories will see the runners-up spot in the Central Group claimed and the Steelbacks can look forward to the last eight, and that is what Ripley's men have to strive for.

There's no doubt they have had a bad week, losing their past three matches, but the County's fate is very much still in their own hands thanks to their great start to the campaign that saw them top of the pile after the first five games.

Somerset's win over Glamorgan on Wednesday night means they are still in with a chance of qualification themselves, and it is going to be a tough test against a strong side, but the Steelbacks have beaten them once already and have to believe they can do so again.

Northants' latest defeat was an agonising eight-run loss to Worcesteshire Rapids on Tuesday night.

It was a game they should have won and Ripley has hinted he will be shuffling his pack to try to regain that winning formula for these two ‘massive games’.

After a dream first half to their Vitality T20 Blast campaign that saw Northants win four matches in a row and claim nine points out of 10, they have suffered something of a nightmare.

A positive Covid-19 test in the camp last week threw a spanner in the works, and certainly affected preparations as well as selection for the second half of the 10-match campaign that started against Gloucestershire last Friday.

The Steelbacks were well off the pace when they were beaten by 35 runs, and they followed it up with a disastrous defeat to Glamorgan in Cardiff - where they were bowled out for just 98 - before the loss to the Rapids.

It all means that Northants have gone from certain shoo-ins for a home draw the last eight, to battling to even qualify for the quarter-finals.

But the fact is the Steelbacks remain second in the Central Group, above Birmingham Bears on run-rate, and they know that runners-up spot is theirs if they win their final games.

They are even likely to qualify as either runners-up or one of the best third place teams if they can win one of them - although things do get a little bit more complicated if that is the case.

“We have got two massive games coming up, and we know if we don’t play well that might be it for us,” said Ripley.

“But we are hoping there are going to be more than just the two games ahead of us.”

Whether the season is going to be extended beyond this weekend will depend on whether the Steelbacks can rediscover their spark, but it is clear certain players are struggling.

With the bat, Paul Stirling has gone right off the boil, Josh Cobb has managed one score above 14 in seven innings and Alex Wakely looks out of touch.

Of the bowlers, the spinners have been outstanding, but the seamers, who were so good in those four wins early on, have suffered struggles and are being too easily picked off by the opposition batsmen.

It means Ripley will be thinking hard ahead of his selection for the match at Somerset.

“We have got a couple of lads who are a little bit low on confidence, and we have a good squad that we are carrying around with us,” he said.

“There has been some tinkering, with Gareth Berg, Luke Procter and Tom Sole, and Rob Keogh has been striking the ball well in practice and hasn’t had an opportunity yet.

“So we have got some lads knocking on the door and asking for a game, and we will have to dissect all of that.

“My gut feeling is that we have got a good team, and I have backed that team over the first eight games.

“But sometimes you need a reaction, and sometimes selection can give you that.”

The Steelbacks have yet to announce their squad for the Somerset game, but they do have the option of bringing in loan signing Tom Taylor, who joined the club from Leicestershire on Wednesday.