Steelbacks up and running as they secure welcome win against the Falcons

Saif Zaib, with an unbeaten 37 from 22 balls, eased the visitors home with two overs to spare after the Falcons had posted 151 for 6.

Wayne Madsen top scored for the Falcons with 57 from 46 balls, his third consecutive Blast 50, and shared a fifth-wicket stand of 92 from 70 balls with Brooke Guest who made 49.

But Chris Lynn and David Willey put on 64 from 50 balls and although Luis Reece removed them both, Zaib and Lewis McManus consigned the Falcons to a third North Group defeat.

Reece had earlier swept Josh Cobb for six in the first over, but the Falcons lost momentum and both openers in the powerplay.

Haider Ali miscued a pull at Willey to mid-off and Reece got a leading edge trying to whip Tom Taylor through midwicket.

The Falcons were 47 for two after six overs, but they lost skipper Leus Du Plooy in the seventh when James Sales found some swing to clip his off stump.

When Anuj Dal missed a drive at Freddie Heldreich, the Falcons were in trouble, but once again Madsen pulled them round, with help from Guest.

He drove and pulled Heldreich for two sixes before dispatching Andrew Tye over the long-on boundary.

Madsen should have been caught at mid-on in the 15th over but Tye fumbled the chance, and he took advantage by driving Willey back over his head to reach 50 off 42 balls.

The Steelbacks got rid of him in the penultimate over when he pulled Taylor to deep midwicket, and Guest’s well-paced innings ended in the final over when he lifted Tye into the hands of long-on.

The Falcons had to take early wickets, and Zaman Khan struck in the second over when Ricardo Vasconcelos pulled a long hop to short midwicket after only one run came from Mark Watt’s opening over.

Only three boundaries came from the first four overs, and George Scrimshaw increased the pressure by conceding only four from the fifth.

Lynn pulled Zak Chappell for four but at the end of the powerplay, the Falcons’ disciplined bowling had restricted the Steelbacks to 29 for one.

Lynn responded by pulling and driving Scrimshaw to the ropes before Willey pulled Reece for a big six over midwicket in the 10th over.

But when he tried to repeat the shot, he failed to clear deep midwicket, and Reece struck again when Lynn edged a drive into his stumps, leaving the Steelbacks on 71 for three at the halfway point of their innings.

Josh Cobb and Zaib got the innings back on track by adding 41 from 29 balls before Cobb pulled Khan to deep square leg, where Dal held on at the second attempt.

With needed 32 from the last four overs, Lewis McManus drove Scrimshaw for six and Zaib settled any nerves by twice lifting Reece over the ropes in the 18th.