Steelbacks collapse again as they are sunk by Somerset to leave Blast hopes hanging by a thread

It was another damaging batting collapse that cost the Steelbacks, who after winning the toss were in decent shape at 73 for one after nine overs.

But the dismissal of Paul Stirling (25) set the ball rolling in an all too familar direction for Northants, who lost eight wickets for 67 runs in the final 11 overs of their innings to be restricted to 140 for nine.

Somerset then had some struggles of their own as the County bowlers tried to get their team back into it, but the home eventually eased to victory at 146 for three with 12 balls to spare.

They now jump above the Steelbacks into second place in the Central Group - and David Ripley's side could find themselves fourth if Birmingham Bears beat Worcester later this evening.

This was the Steelbacks' fourth straight defeat in the competition, and they now have to beat the Bears at Edgbaston in their final game on Sunday to stand any chance of squeezing through, although that still may not be enough.

It has been a remarkable and staggering fall from grace from a side who won four matches in a row to sit two points clear at the top of the pile at the halfway stage.

Head coach Ripley made one change to the team that lost by eight runs to Worcestershire Rapids on Tuesday night, with seam bowling all-rounder Luke Procter replacing Ricardo Vasconcelos.

Skipper Josh Cobb won the toss and elected to bat, but there was no dream start as the County lost a wicket to the eighth ball of the innings, Richard Levi clipping Craig Overton to Babar Azam at square-leg, and he claimed the catch.

Steelbacks struggled to get going in the opening overs, but in the fifth they at last got the scoreboard moving with Cobb hitting left-arm spinner Roeluf van der Merwe for three fours.

The next over went for 14 as well as Northants ended the powerplay on 46 for one, a decent effort after being 18 for one from four.

The normally explosive Stirling, one early six-hit aside, was playing in a very controlled manner and picking singles off the various spinners used by Somerset.

The introduction of medium pacer Lewis Gregory saw a chance of mindset as he hit a huge six, and with Cobb doing the same a couple of balls later, by the end of the ninth over Steelbacks had moved on to 73 for one.

Young spinner Lewis Goldworthy then made the breakthrough, tempting Stirling, who had been so selective, to go for a big hit over long-off, and he was caught on the ropes by Max Waller to go for 25.

Adam Rossington came and went pretty quickly, and then Cobb, who had played so well, somewhat gave his wicket away, slogging a short ball from Goldsworthy to van der Merwe on the mid-wicket boundary, and he took a spectacular catch.

It was a frustrating end to a good innings from Cobb, and it meant the Steelbacks had slipped from 73 for one to 89 for four and, as has far too often this season been the case, a rebuilding job was needed.

Alex Wakely and Luke Procter put on 27, but it was painfully at a slow rate, and when Wakely chipped a catch to mid-off the Steelbacks were 116 for five in the 17th over.

Procter was then run out by a direct hit, and although Zaib hammered Craig Overton out of the ground for a huge six, it was an all too rare occurrence.

There was another big hit from Buck, but Somerset will have been delighted to restrict the Steelbacks to 140 for nine in their 20 overs.

Northants needed a good start with the ball, and they got it, with Buck trapping dangerman Babar Azam lbw to leave the hosts 20 for one.

It was soon 37 for two as Will Smeed edged a Sanderson delivery to Buck at third man, and he took the catch.

Steven Davies was looking in good nick for Somerset though, and he looked to be steering his team home until he was trapped leg before by Procter to go for 45 from 37 balls and leave the home side 81 for three after 11 overs.

It gave the Steelbacks a sniff, but Somerset were still favourites to win it from there though.

Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby batted sensibly to ease them towards the winning post before the latter decided to open his shoulders and finish it off with a couple of big sixes.

Lammonby finished with 43 from 23 balls and Abell 42 from 34 as the home side continued their late surge towards the quarter-finals.

A set of quarter-finals that, it is looking increasingly likely, will not feature the Steelbacks.