Coach Lehmann says 'blistering' start from Lynn and McSweeney was the difference against Rapids
Darren Lehmann hailed big-hitting pair Chris Lynn and Nathan McSweeney after the Steelbacks made it six Vitality Blast wins out of six with a victory against Worcestershire Rapids on Tuesday night.
Although the head coach he admitted he had wanted even more from the Australian duo!
Northants were six-wicket winners at the cinch County Ground, and Lehmann felt the flying start given to the side by Lynn and McSweeney made all the difference.
Chasing 159 to win in 18 overs, Lynn hammered one Tom Taylor over for 28 – hitting four sixes along the way, two of which went out of the ground – and McSweeney then took Ben Allison for 22 off six balls to fire Northants to 71 for one in the first five overs.
Their blistering knocks of 37 and 26 respectively saw them club 63 from just 33 balls between them, thumping seven fours and five sixes.
And although the Rapids later fought back with their spinners, the damage had been done as skipper David Willey was able to see his side home with 47 from 33 balls – his final 36 runs coming off just 15 deliveries!
"It was a good wicket, it was probably a 200 wicket, but we chased well,” said Lehmann. "It was a blistering start from Lynn, and then I thought McSweeney played well and got the run-chase down really quickly.
"Worcestershire bowled well in the middle with their spinners, but Dave (Willey) and Justin Broad just soaked that up and pressed go and it was a really polished chase in the end.
"Worcester will probably think they were below par, but the win was down to the start, which was unbelievable.
"To get 28 from one over, hitting into the short side with the breeze, and Lynny can do that, he can destroy totals quite quickly.
"McSweeney then got straight to his work and really got the total down, and being a picky coach I would have loved one of them to go on, but Dave and Broady soaked up their best bowlers and we could go again a bit later.
"Dave or Broady could have easily got out and then the pressure would have been on the next batter, so it was really pleasing.”
The win leaves the Steelbacks four points clear at the top of the Central & West Group.
The team now takes a two week break from Blast action for a return to County Championship Division Two cricket, starting with Friday’s home date against Gloucestershire.
The Steelbacks resume their Blast campaign on Friday, June 26 when they entertain Essex at what is sure to be a packed Wantage Road.