Lehmann hails 'magnificent chase' as sensational Steelbacks march on in Vitality Blast

The impressive victory ensures the Steelbacks have qualified for the quarter-finals, and they now sit 12 points clear at the top of the Central & West Group with four matches to play, meaning one more win will guarantee a home tie in the last eight.

At Bristol, former England batter Dawid Malan hit a superb unbeaten 91 on debut as the home side set what looked a testing 184 for two, but it was to prove totally inadequate as a dominant Northants raced home with 16 balls to spare.

And they did it without their star batter Chris Lynn, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Skipper David Willey led the charge with 73 from just 32 balls, clubbing seven sixes and two fours, while Nathan McSweeney, who stepped up to open in place of Lynn, finished on 72 not out from 40 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes.

Ricardo Vasconcelos hit 36 from 30 balls as part of a quickfire 82 opening partnership, and Lehmann, who was also pleased with how his side bowled, was a very happy man.

"It was a magnificent chase," the head coach told BBC Northampton. "Chasing 180 at any time is hard work as we know, but we got over the line there.

"I thought we held it together well with the ball, and Gloucestershire were probably 20 short in the end.

"We didn't know what par was, but it seemed to play pretty well the whole time.

"The ball stuck in the wicket a little bit, and I thought the bowlers stuck at it pretty well, although we dropped a few catches which was unlike us.

"But really it was down to Nathan McSweeney, and the start with Vasco, and then Dave was brilliant again.

"When you are chasing totals like that you need to get away to a flyer and we did that and then chased it down with a few overs to spare."

Gloucestershire did at one point look like they may score 200-plus, but the Steelbacks put the brakes on in the middle overs.

"That four of five over spell with Dave Willey, Sando (Ben Sanderson) and James Sales, that pegged them back as they could have easily hit 220 or 210," said Lehmann.

"They got control, and experience helps in that scenario.

"They decided let's bowl more death stuff early, and try and control it that way, and it worked.

"Again, it is about being adaptable to change mid-innings with the ball and we did that really well.

"I am really pleased with the effort from everyone again, because this is not an easy place to come to and win.

"They have a really good crowd, they get behind their county, so for us to come here and win as we did is really pleasing."

The Steelbacks now host reigning champions Somerset at the cinch County Ground on Sunday (start 3.30pm), knowing a win will secure a home quarter-final, but in truth they may have already done enough.

Sunday's clash with a Somerset side sitting bottom of the table, is preceded by the Steelbacks Women taking on Gloucestershire (11.30am)