Peters powers ruthless Northants
Stephen Peters’ unbeaten half-century secured Northamptonshire a Twenty20 Cup home quarter-final against Hampshire after a crushing seven-wicket defeat of struggling Worcestershire.
The 30-year-old made light work of a sluggish Wantage Road track to inflict the damage on his former employers, sealing the Steelbacks’ seventh win of an impressive Twenty20 campaign.
South African Andrew Hall had earlier wreaked havoc with the ball for the home side, picking up 4-19 from four overs as just three Worcestershire players reached double figures in a total of 109 for nine.
However, Peters stole the show with a fine 61, which included six fours, as Northants booked a spot in the last eight for the fifth time in the last five years.
The visitors found themselves under pressure from the outset with Hall and Johan van der Wath celebrating the pre-match award of their county caps with an early wicket apiece.
Opener Stephen Peters hit a rapid 61 to ensure Northants made short work of a victory target of 110 at Wantage Road
Royals skipper Vikram Solanki departed first, dragging the ball on to his stumps, before an all-South African dismissal saw Stephen Moore smartly stumped by Riki Wessels off Hall's first ball.
Steven Davies, who had batted promisingly for 26, was the next to go, holing out at deep cover from David Willey's first ball.
And when Ben Smith was leg before sweeping Nicky Boje, the visitors were struggling on 53 for four at the midway point of their innings.
Daryl Mitchell ran himself out but Moeen Ali and Ashley Noffke put on 35, including the innings’ only six, struck over long-on by the latter.
However, both batsmen fell in the deep to the returning Hall, Moeen for an uncharacteristically sedate 28, as the visitors paid the penalty for 10 overs without reaching the ropes.
Hall was the star of the show - he finished with four victims - and with Willey, van der Wath and Boje chipping in with a wicket apiece as the Steelbacks barely missed Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey, who was resting a finger injury.
The home reply began badly when Rob White edged Noffke behind in the third over, and when Willey and Wessels both fell to the combination of Gareth Batty and Ian Fisher, Northamptonshire were wobbling on 44 for three in the ninth over.
But opener Peters stopped the rot, settling in to play the anchor role and ensure there were no further mishaps.
Alex Wakely joined Peters in a match-clinching unbroken stand of 66 for the fourth wicket.
Wakely’s rapid 29 from 23 balls included the stroke of the day - a straight drive off the bowling of Chris Whelan - and he and Peters saw Northants home with two overs to spare.
