Coach Sadler left frustrated as Steelbacks are denied by Donald and the weather

And the head coach believes that if the match had gone the distance then Northants would have been in with a great shot of claiming victory.

Instead, a devastating powerplay from the Falcons, with Aneurin Donald thrashing eight sixes as he clubbed 68 from just 26 balls, saw the home side ahead of the game and when rain brought play to a premature end they claimed the two points.

Matthew Breetzke had scored a brilliant 94 from 54 balls to fire the Steelbacks to 193 for eight, with Sikandar Raza adding 34 from 16 balls.

But Donald outshone them both with his devastating innings as Derbyshire reached 123 for three from just 11 overs to ensure they won it.

But they had been 94 without loss in the seventh over, and with Freddie Heldreich picking up a couple of wickets and Ravi Bopara putting the brakes on, the Steelbacks were finding a way back into the game, but it proved to be too little, too late.

"I think we were really happy at the halfway stage with the score we got," said Sadler.

"We felt we were probably 15 over par, we thought 175 was probably going to be a par score when we started our innings.

"I still think if that game had gone the distance it would have been a tight one, but fair play, when someone comes out and bats like that in the powerplay then sometimes you have to take your hat off and say well played.

"Sometimes you're on the right end of the Duckworth Lewis, sometimes you're on the wrong one so tonight we've fallen on the wrong side but fair play to them.

"With the powerplay they had they were well in front even three wickets we got didn't really bring it back "

Breetzke's score was the highest T20 score of his career, hitting 11 fours and three sixes, and Sadler says the innings shows what the South Africa is all about.

"Matthew's an international cricketer, a phenomenal player, an incredible striker of the ball and plays all round the wicket," said the Northants head coach.

"He can attack anybody and I thought he played magnificently, he found his timing from the off and didn't deserve to be on the losing side "

The Steelbacks have now dropped to sixth in the North Group table, having won three and lost two of their five matches to date.

Northants are one of five teams on six points, with Lancashire four points clear at the top.

The Steelbacks are back in action on Sunday when they travel to New Road to take on Worcestershire Rapids (start 2.30pm), who are one place and two points behind them in the table.

Quotes courtesy of Nigel Gardner