Boje steers Steelbacks to win

Nicky Boje hit 74 not out and took three wickets for Northants

Nicky Boje and David Sales hit a century partnership to help Northamptonshire Steelbacks win their crucial NatWest Pro40 basement battle against Warwickshire Bears.

Former South Africa international Boje led the way with bat and ball – hitting an unbeaten 74 and taking three for 41 to see the home side over the line with four overs to spare.

Together with skipper Sales (58), Boje put on a season-high 100 fourth-wicket partnership while Riki Wessels also blasted 52 from only 29 balls.

The result sees Northants leapfrog Warwickshire and leaves the spectre of Division Two cricket hanging over the Bears who only have one game remaining.

Having won the toss and elected to bowl first, Sales dropped Neil Carter on two in the first over off Lance Klusener's bowling.

But in the seventh over Carter was gone for 24, cutting to Wessels at point off Klusener who then dismissed Ian Westwood for 25.

Tim Groenewald (nine) was then caught by Klusener at mid-on in the 16th over from David Wigley's bowling.

Eight overs later Boje sent Kumar Sangakkara to the pavilion for 39 when the Sri Lanka international drove the spinner to Stephen Peters at mid-off.

However Jonathan Trott and captain Tim Ambrose put on a fifth-wicket partnership of 60 which saw Trott pull Wigley into the West Stand for six.

David Sales © Getty Images

Their stand was broken with six overs remaining when Boje trapped Ambrose lbw when the 24-year-old was attempting the sweep.

With four overs remaining Boje grabbed his third wicket of the day when Trott (41) drove the ball straight back to the bowler.

Alex Loudon made a brisk 19 from 10 balls before driving Richard Logan to Sales in the covers, and Nick James (25) fell to the same combination in the final ball of the innings.

Chasing 231 to win, the Steelbacks lost Rob White in the sixth over when he cut paceman Carter to James in the gully having made 17.

Two overs later, Alfonso Thomas dismissed Peters for 16 thanks to Trott’s superb diving, one-handed catch at mid-wicket.

But Boje and Wessels steadied the innings with a third-wicket partnership of 77.

Wessels, 21, brought up his first Pro40 half-century of the season in style by pulling Heath Streak out of the ground for six before he was caught and bowled with Ant Botha's first delivery in a Bears shirt.

Boje brought up his first half-century for the Steelbacks in the 28th over with a swept single off Groenewald.

Right-hander Sales also grabbed his seventh one-day half-century of the season before driving Botha straight to Thomas at mid-off.

But left-hander Boje sealed the win by hitting compatriot Botha for a six and then a four to give Northants two vital points.