Steelbacks match-winner Keogh can't wait to return to Edgbaston

Rob Keogh says Edgbaston is like a home from home for the Northants Steelbacks.
Rob Keogh hit the winning runs as Northants won the NatWest T20 Blast at Edgbaston last summer (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Rob Keogh hit the winning runs as Northants won the NatWest T20 Blast at Edgbaston last summer (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Rob Keogh hit the winning runs as Northants won the NatWest T20 Blast at Edgbaston last summer (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

And last year’s NatWest T20 Blast final match-winner can’t wait to get back there tonight (7pm).

The Steelbacks have won the T20 twice in the past four years, with both of those showpiece successes coming at Edgbaston.

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They beat Surrey in the 2013 final before securing glory against Durham Jets last year.

Keogh hit the winning runs to seal the triumph against the Jets last August.

And the batsman is looking forward to returning to Edgbaston when the Steelbacks square up to Birmingham Bears at the ground in a T20 North Group match this evening.

“It’s always been a favourite ground for us after 2013, finals day in 2015 and then winning it last year,” Keogh said.

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“All the boys have their favourite spot in the changing room and we try to stick to that position every year.

“We’ve always been in the away changing room, even on finals day, so we’ve always got stuck into that routine.

“We all know where each other sits and we stick to that routine every time we play there.

“It almost is a home from home.

“We played there in the 50-over comp, we play there in T20 and we played there when we were in (County Championship) div one so we’ve got to know Edgbaston quite well.

“It is one of our favourite grounds.”

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Reflecting on his 2016 finals day heroics, Keogh said: “It was nice.

“It was a great day for everyone involved.

“Sando (Ben Sanderson) came in and bowled brilliantly, obviously Ducky (Ben Duckett) and Cobby (Josh Cobb) batted really well and from a personal point of view it was nice to hit the winning runs.

“It was also nice to contribute a couple of catches.

“After a fairly indifferent competition for myself, not getting a regular go, contributing in that way was a nice end to the tournament.”