Top Performers: Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire
Ben Charlesworth's 68 off 38 balls gave Gloucestershire a fighting total after winning the toss, but it proved insufficient as Northamptonshire chased down 152 with eight wickets…
Top Performers
Ben Charlesworth's 68 off 38 balls gave Gloucestershire a fighting total after winning the toss, but it proved insufficient as Northamptonshire chased down 152 with eight wickets in hand and 14 balls unused.
Ben Sanderson was the pick of the bowlers. The Northamptonshire seamer took 4 for 20, dismantling Gloucestershire's lower order and restricting them to 152 all out. His economy rate of six an over in a T20 quarter-final was exceptional.
David Willey steered Northamptonshire home with an unbeaten 47 off 33 balls, setting the tone for a straightforward chase. He struck at 142 and put the visitors in control from the start. Ricardo Vasconcelos added 42 off 30 to compound Gloucestershire's problems, combining with Willey to build a partnership that made the target look modest.
Gloucestershire's Jack Taylor contributed 22 but couldn't sustain the momentum Charlesworth had generated. D'Arcy Short's 17 off 11 was quick but came too late to shift the balance.
The decisive margin - eight wickets with 14 balls remaining - underlined how thoroughly Northamptonshire dominated the chase. Sanderson's bowling performance and Willey's aggressive batting proved the difference in a quarter-final that never truly threatened an upset.