Cool-headed Bopara steers Steelbacks to victory after bowling blitz from Sanderson and Willey

Sanderson claimed four for 15 and Willey three for 20 as the Foxes were reduced to 39 for seven in the eighth over at Wantage Road, and many in the ground will have been anticipating a very early finish.

But on a tough day for batting, the Steelbacks were made to graft their way to a modest victory target, only getting over the line in the final over, mainly thanks to Ravi Bopara.

After that early wicket blitz from Sanderson and Willey, Logan van Beek hit 42 to lift the Foxes to respectability at 122 all out, and that proved to be a challenge as the Steelbacks eventually got home at 123 for five with just four balls to spare to make it two wins out of two in the North Group.

Bopara produced the innings of the day to win it for the Steelbacks, making a chanceless 46 not out from 40 balls, with late and much-needed support coming from George Bartlett, who played some cracking and inventive shots in his enterprising 26 from 17 balls, hitting a six and three fours.

Steelbacks made two changes to the side that beat Yorkshire Vikings on Friday night, with Liam Guthrie dropping out to be replaced by Luke Procter, and George Bartlett coming in for Justin Broad, who was a late withdrawal due to a 'medical problem'.

Procter's inclusion saw him playing his first T20 match since October, 2020.

Northants made a dream start as they claimed a wicket with the first ball of the match, Rishi Patel clipping Willey to Ravi Bopara at short mid-wicket.

Three balls later, the Foxes were two for two as Louis Kimber had his middle stump uprooted by a beauty from Willey.

Sanderson then got in on the act at the other end, Shan Masood edging a full ball and Ricardo Vasconcelos taking a stunning diving catch low to his left and the Foxes were five for three!

At this point, opener Sol Budinger had yet to face a ball, and although he hit Willey for two fours, he then perished, bowled around his legs by a full toss as he tried to hit the ball to the legside, and the visitors were in disarray at 16 for four after three overs.

Two balls later and they were in even more dire straits at 18 for five!

This time it was Lewis Hill who gave his wicket away, cutting a Sanderson delivery straight to Bartlett at point, who took an excellent low catch.

The wicket was Sanderson's 100th for the Steelbacks in T20 cricket.

In his next over he had his 101st as he pinned Ben Cox lbw for four, and the Foxes were 27 for six - which was how they ended the six-over powerplay.

Liam Trevaskis hit a couple of nice shots as he became the first Foxes batter to get into double figures, but he then lost his head and lost his wicket.

The left-hander took two strides down the track to try and hammer a good length ball from Sanderson back over the bowler's head and only succeeded in edging behind to Lewis McManus who took a straightforward catch to leave Leicestershire 39 for seven.

The Foxes were desperare for somebody to get themselves in, and the eighth-wicket pairing of van Beek and Tom Scriven answered the call.

The duo at least gave their side something to bowl at as they put together a 55-run partnership, with van Beek hitting a couple of sixes, before Scriven thumped a Lloyd Pope delivery straight to Willey at long on to go for 23 from 19 balls and the Foxes were 94 for eight.

Van Beek continued to push his side towards a respectable total, before he fell in the final over, pulling a George Scrimshaw delivery to Lloyd Pope fine-leg to depart for a well-made 42 from 42 balls.

Roman Walker also did his bit with a few lusty blows late on, but he was caught in the deep by Willey off the final ball of the innings as the Foxes closed on 122 all out.

Vasconcelos set his stall out straight away as the Steelbacks replied, hitting a six and four from van Beek's first over, but he edged to Matt Salisbury to first slip from the first ball of the second to leave Northants 11 for one.

Just as it had been for the Foxes, batting was proving a struggle for the Steelbacks on a pitch with plenty of life and movement in it, and after Willey had laboured to six from 16 balls, he slashed at a wide one and was caught behind to leave his side in trouble at 25 for two from five overs.

Steelbacks ended the six-over powerplay on 32 for two, with the Foxes sensing they were still in with a shout.

Breetzke and Bopara decided they were going to take their time, with very few big shots being played as they inched towards their target in ones and twos.

A couple of fours in the ninth over eased the pressure a little as the home side moved to 56 for two at the halfway stage, 67 adrift of victory.

A Bopara six in the 12th over then at least woke up the crowd, but it was still tough going for the Steelbacks, who were then rocked as they lost two wickets in two balls in the 14th over to slide to 75 for four.

Breetzke tried to up the ante but instead miss-hit Walker to Trevaskis at mid-on to fall for 23 from 33 balls, and then the same combination accounted for Saif Zaib as he fell for a golden duck.

The Steelbacks went into the final five overs still needing 38 to win, and the pressure was building.

Thankfully, the ultra-experienced Bopara wasn’t feeling any of it, as he and Bartlett, who crunched a six and two fours as the Steelbacks claimed a crucial 16 runs from the 18th over, steered the home side to an low-scoring victory.

Earlier in the day, the Steelbacks Women produced an excellent performance to see off Leicestershire by eight runs in their first Vitality Blast League Two encounter.

A decent crowd turned out early to watch the first match of the Wantage Road double header, and they were rewarded with a home win.

Gemma Marriott hit 28 and Bella Howarth 22 as the Steelbacks posted 123 for eight in their 20 overs.

Leicestershire then looked to be cruising to victory as they eased to 63 without loss, but Lenny Sims made the breakthrough to spark a collapse that saw the visitors slump to 98 for five.

Tight bowling at the death then saw the Steelbacks to victory as Leicestershire closed on 115 for five, with wickets for Ella Phillips and Amelia Kemp and a couple of runouts.