Skipper Wakely calls for big reaction from Steelbacks

Alex Wakely has urged his team to put on a complete performance in tonight's must-win match against Durham Jets at the County Ground (start time 7pm).
Alex Wakely wants the Steelbacks to take their chance tonight (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Alex Wakely wants the Steelbacks to take their chance tonight (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Alex Wakely wants the Steelbacks to take their chance tonight (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

The Steelbacks were eviscerated at Headingley on Thursday night, losing by a massive 124 runs to Yorkshire Vikings, who smashed a stunning 260 for four.

It was an English record from the Vikings, whose batsman Adam Lyth was the star of the show.

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Lyth lashed 161 off just 73 balls as he made third highest individual score in T20 cricket to leave the Steelbacks reeling.

David Ripley's men got off to a flying start but eventually suffered a collapse as they were bowled out for 136 in 14.5 overs.

The defeat means the Steelbacks now sit sixth in the NatWest T20 Blast North Group table and they will need to beat Durham as well as hope one of Birmingham Bears, Leicestershire and Derbyshire suffer defeat.

"We never got in the game at Headingley," said Wakely.

"That (Lyth's innings) was one of the best knocks I've seen in T20 cricket.

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"I thought I'd seen the best when, a couple of years ago, Dave Willey hit a hundred against Sussex. But that was just phenomenal.

"It wasn't just that he got a hundred, he went on and got 160.

"We never managed to claw it back.

"We knew we were up against it. But we had nothing to lose.

"When you have to go from ball one pretty much, you're only a couple of wickets away from it going wrong.

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"We've had a long bus journey back where we talked a few things through, but ultimately we have to put in a complete performance and try to win tonight.

"It's the closest finish I've seen in a T20 tournament."