Calvin Harrison praises Steelbacks big-hitters Chris Lynn and David Willey

The visitors were dismantled at the cinch County Ground, with leg-spinner Harrison starring as he claimed career-best figures of five for nine to help dismiss Essex for just 108.

That was in reply to the Steelbacks' towering 238 for six, which was built around a thrilling 75 from 37 balls from Lynn and a brutal 65 from 29 balls from skipper Willey.

Both of those players were returning to action after a 17-day break for the County Championship, but there were zero signs of rustiness as Essex's bowlers were taken to the cleaners - after skipper Simon Harmer had won the toss and asked Northants to bat!

The win was a seventh on the spin for the Steelbacks, who had gone into the match off the back of a six-wicket County Championship Division Two defeat at Durham, and Harrison was delighted with how the game panned out.

"It was a really good four-day game at Durham," said the former Nottinghamshire man.

"It was disappointing to come out on the wrong side of it, but we got back and had to reset and try to carry on the momentum we had built up in the first half of the tournament.

"We had to set the tone well after being put into bat, and we knew we had to get upwards of 200 or 210 as it was such a good wicket.

"But the way Lynny batted and the way Willo batted as well was class.

"For them to come straight back in after their little break and continue their form was great.

"We had a meeting and spoke about it, and we said we had to stay on the front foot, attack the games head on, drive forward as a group and we did that with the bat.

"That set the game up and then we did it with the ball as well and finished the job."

And he added: "It was good to get back into T20 mode. It was a well set up game from the beginning with the bat.

"It was a good wicket, but getting nearly 240 set things up beautifully, and then we took some early wickets.

"Sando (Ben Sanderson) started the innings off really well and then we took wickets regularly and it was a pretty good thumping in the end."

That thumping was underscored by Harrison's bowling performance, as he claimed five wickets in just 14 balls!

"When I bowled it was nothing complicated, it was about keeping the stumps in play," said the 28-year-old.

"I wanted to hit the right lengths and force them to make a mistakes on the stumps, and it felt nice out of the fingers and I am happy to help us get the win."

The win saw the Steelbacks go eight points clear at the top of the Central & West Group table with five matches to play.

They are next in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Bristol to take on second-placed Gloucestershire, where a win would see them open up a 12 point gap at the top.