Steelbacks beat Hampshire Hawks in thriller to become 2026 Vitality Blast champions
18.07.26, 23:31 Updated 19.07.26, 02:49
Jeremy Blackmore
Northamptonshire Steelbacks are 2026 Vitality Blast champions after beating Hampshire Hawks by 14 runs in a nail-biting final at Edgbaston.
Chasing 170 to win, the Hawks were five wickets down, needing 41 runs from the final four overs with Joe Weatherley well set with a commanding 75 amid a partnership of 48 with Liam Dawson (35).
But Luke Procter ran out Dawson with a direct hit and then struck twice in the penultimate over before Ben Sanderson finished things off.
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Jeremy Blackmore is the founder and editor of The Steeler. Jeremy is a freelance cricket writer and Wantage Road regular. He has written extensively for a host of publications including The Cricketer, The Cricket Paper, Wisden Cricket Monthly and ESPNcricinfo. He also covers Northamptonshire for the ECB Reporters Network.