Steelbacks' overseas stars expected to return to face Somerset in Blast quarter-final

Matthew Breetzke is expected to be available for the Steelbacks' Blast quarter-final against Somerset next month (Picture: Peter Short)

John Sadler is confident the Steelbacks will have their first-choice overseas signings back at the club ahead of the Vitality Blast quarter-final clash with Somerset at the beginning of next month.

South African Matthew Breetzke, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza and Australian Ashton Agar all played influential roles as Northants finished second in the North Group table to claim a home tie in the last eight.

Breetzke finished fourth in the competition's list of top run-scorers, hitting 460 at an average of 38.33 and a strike-rate of 154, while Raza and Agar contributed with bat and ball, the former in the first eight games, and the latter in the final five.

And Sadler is hopeful all three will be available to return for the massive showdown with the Cidermen on Thursday, September 5 - and it is then a case of picking the two they want from three!

"All three of the overseas players we have had have been superb," declared the head coach.

"Because Sikandar was here at the start of the tournament, his performance is at the back of the mind, whereas Matt and Ashton have both done brilliantly towards the end so it easier to have those fresh memories.

"But all three overseas have been superb and I think we got our recruitment right this year.

"We are hopeful that we can secure these guys and get them back, although we can only have two out of the three, but at this point we are confident we can get them back.

"There are messages flying around everywhere about availability and who's doing what, and what competitions are going on around the world.

"So we are chatting to them all to see what they are actually available for, and what we can and can't do, and fingers crossed we can get that sorted as soon as possible."

Somerset will rock up at Wantage Road as Blast holders, and Sadler is anticipating a difficult night.

"Somerset are a good side, but when you get through to the knockout stages then everybody is a good side and anybody can beat anybody in my opinion," he said.

"But hopefully we can do our best and put them under some real pressure, and that the home crowd can be our 12th man and be crucial for us.”

The Steelbacks are back in Metro One Day Cup action at Hampshire on Friday.

They will be looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s disappointing two-wicket defeat at the hands of Derbyshire at the County Ground.