Northamptonshire Steelbacks | T20 Match Preview - 12/07/2024
Fri 12 Jul 2024
It’s double-header Derby Day at Uptonsteel County Ground. Leicestershire Women are hunting a sixth straight win on Grace Road, while Leicestershire Men know it’s now or never in their bid to reach the Vitality Blast quarter-final stages.
Both sides are battling East Midlands rivals Northants Steelbacks for local bragging rights in the region. Leicestershire Women begin at 1:30pm, while Leicestershire Men blast off at 6:30pm.
Tickets are available to purchase HERE.
FAMOUS FIXTURE:
A high-intensity clash on home soil, 2022’s meeting was memorable for multiple reasons. The first being it saw Leicestershire set their record total at Uptonsteel County Ground in T20 cricket.
Colin Ackermann led the way with 85 from just 44 balls, while Nick Welch (38, 21b) and Arron Lilley (29, 19b) also made quickfire runs as the Foxes posted 214/6 from their allotted overs “ eclipsing the 207 made against Lancashire in 2016.
The entertainment wasn’t finished there, however. A heated contest saw the Foxes scrape home by one run from the final ball of the match “ only the second time the Club has won by the narrowest margin - sparking pandemonium on the field and in the stands.
DECISIVE DUEL:
This evening’s contest could well be decided by the form of the wicketkeepers. Ben Cox has been in super form for the Foxes, hitting three fifties, while Lewis McManus is well known to Leicestershire fans from his time at Hampshire.
A T20 Blast winner with Worcestershire, winter arrival Cox has also made his mark at Uptonsteel County Ground. As well as some stunning takes behind the stumps, he’s contributed 229 runs “ second only to Rishi Patel “ at 32.71, striking at a shade under 150.
McManus has only faced 50 balls in the competition this year, but his intent has been clear. Striking at 148, only Sikandar Raza has accumulated his runs at a quicker rate for the Steelbacks.
SQUAD:
Alfonso Thomas names an unchanged 14-man squad, while Becki Brooker leads a 13-strong squad for Leicestershire Women.
Leicestershire Foxes: Ahmed, Budinger, Cox+, Currie, Goldsworthy, Handscomb*, Hull, Kimber, Mike, Neesham, Patel, Scriven, Swindells, Wood.
Leicestershire Women: Bennett+, Brooker*, Colquhoun, Davies, Francis, Herathge, Lawrence, Pearson, Rehman, Roff, Shembekar, Weston, Wright.
