By Gary Watton
July 18 2015

In spite of a decent knock from Alex Lees and reasonable spells of bowling from the rookies Ben Coad and Matthew Waite, the hosts were just too strong for a young Vikings team that was virtually a second eleven. Unfortunately cheap dismissals at the top of the order for Leaning and Rhodes ensured that the Tykes made their customary shambolic start. However, there was brief hope when the hosts were reduced to forty for two. Regrettably, Plunkett (and Maxwell) were expensive again. The only consolation was blooding the Vikings of future campaigns, and some of them gave a good account of themselves, even if they did allow the Steelbacks to complete a Twenty20 double over us.

 In the event the visitors' total was average and proved to be about ten runs too little. At least Derbyshire Falcons lost again, thereby 'depriving' the Vikings of finishing in bottom place in the northern group.

Northamptonshire Steelbacks versus YORKSHIRE VIKINGS; at Northampton; Friday the 17th of July 2015. Northamptonshire Steelbacks won the toss.

YORKSHIRE VIKINGS: 153 for seven (off twenty overs)

Lees c and b White 46 (87-4)

Rhodes c Duckett b Willey 0 (1-1)

Leaning run out (Cobb) 0 (11-2)

Bairstow c Duckett b Cobb 21 (57-3)

Maxwell c Willey b Crook 17 (97-5)

Plunkett b Azharullah 23 (124-6)

Gibson c Levi b Kleinveldt 18 (136-7)

Waite not out 14

Coad not out 2

Extras: twelve

Northamptonshire Steelbacks: 156 for four (off nineteen overs)

Levi run out (Plunkett) 30 (39-1)

Willey c Waite b Fisher 34 (102-3)

Cobb c Leaning b Coad 0 (40-2)

Wakely c Maxwell b Coad 46 (146-4)

Duckett not out 40

Crook not out 1

Extras: five

Northamptonshire Steelbacks won by six wickets. Northamptonshire Steelbacks two points, YORKSHIRE VIKINGS no points.

CURRENT GROUP STANDINGS:

Worcestershire - eighteen points from thirteen matches

Warwickshire - eighteen points from twelve matches

Northamptonshire - fifteen points from twelve matches

Lancashire - fourteen points from thirteen matches

Nottinghamshire - fourteen points from thirteen matches

Durham - ten points from thirteen matches

Leicestershire - ten points from thirteen matches

YORKSHIRE - nine points from thirteen matches

Derbyshire - eight points from fourteen matches

BEST BOWLERS (minimum criteria of ten wickets)

Maxwell - 22; twelve wickets; best bowling: 3-15

Plunkett -22.2; ten wickets; best bowling: 3-49

Fisher - 24.36; fourteen wickets; best bowling: 5-22

No other Viking has even managed to take ten wickets.....yet.

BATSMEN (minimum criteria of one hundred runs)

Leaning - 34.75; 278 runs; highest score: 48 not out

Bairstow - 32; 320 runs; highest score: 92

Bresnan - 31; 155 runs; highest score: 51

Gale - 26.18; 288 runs; highest score: 68 not out

Maxwell - 20.82; 229 runs; highest score: 92 not out

Lees - 14; 112 runs; highest score: 46

No other Viking has even managed to hit one hundred runs.....yet.