Vikings’ rampage coming at the right time, insists Lees
YORKSHIRE VIKINGS skipper Alex Lees labelled Wednesday’s display against Durham Jets as their “best of the season” as opener Adam Lyth spearheaded a 49-run win at Headingley to boost their hopes of reaching the T20 Blast quarter-finals.
Lees’s call to bat first was vindicated as the Vikings posted their highest ever T20 score of 223-6 – ten higher than their previous best against Worcestershire Rapids on home soil in 2010 – with Lyth powering 87 runs of 53 balls.
Not until a 59-run eighth-wicket stand between Usman Arshad (43) and Scott Borthwick did a pair enjoy any meaningful time at the crease.
And they fell well short of their target, with England quick Liam Plunkett conceding just 13 runs in four overs and bowling 12 dot balls.
Lees, whose team lost by three wickets to Nottinghamshire Outlaws last Friday, said:“This was the best we have played this season.
“Lyth and David Willey [32 runs off 14 balls] set off like a rocket and everyone else kept whacking it.
“We went out wanting to entertain and leave no stone unturned and this game showed just what we can do.
“Plunkett’s excellent spell was bowled at a good pace and it changed the whole momentum of the game.”
Northamptonshire Steelbacks made amends for last week’s sixwicket defeat by Durham with a 74-run win against Birmingham Bears on Tuesday.
Richard Levi (31) and Adam Rossington (85) put on 103 for the first wicket and were ably backed up by captain Alex Wakely’s unbeaten knock of 53 off 23 deliveries as Northants posted 200-5.
And despite the best efforts of the top order, with Ian Bell making 62, the Bears lost seven wickets for 21 runs as Graeme White claimed 4-20.
It was one of three games played in a week by Birmingham – they went down to Worcestershire Rapids by five wickets last Friday, the damage done as they collapsed from 145-2 to 164 all out before Ross Whiteley crashed 42 not out for the Rapids.
Two days later the Bears beat Leicestershire Foxes by 28 runs at Edgbaston – thanks to a 125-run opening stand between Sam Hain (79) and Bell (57).
And, despite Alviro Petersen’s unbeaten 103 off 52 balls, eliminated holders Lancashire Lightning lost to Leicestershire by nine runs.