Lehmann wants more of the same as Steelbacks set sights on home Blast quarter-final

That's the message from head coach Darren Lehmann to his Northants Steelbacks players as they gear up for their crackerjack winner-takes-all Vitality Blast clash at Durham on Friday night (start 6.30pm).

The Steelbacks will go into the game at Banks Home Riverside knowing a quarter-final place is already secured, following Notts Outlaws' defeat to Worcestershire Rapids on Thursday night

But the target now is to secure a home date in the last eight, and to do that they need to beat Durham - with the home side knowing if they can see off the Steelbacks, then they will claim second spot and that precious home tie.

A daunting trip to either Surrey or Somerset in the quarter-finals awaits if the Steelbacks drop out of the top two of the North Group, so the prize on offer in the north east on Friday is a big one.

Lehmann has been delighted with his team's performance in winning their past two games, racking up huge totals to see off Derbyshire Falcons and Birmingham Bears last weekend, and he is telling his players to stick to the same formula against Durham.

"It's an important game for both sides, but we have just got to worry about what we have been doing for the last few games," said Lehmann, whose side called a halt to a run of five straight defeats when beating the Falcons a week ago.

"We need to bat with the same conviction, and bowl and field well again, so do the basics well.

"Durham beat us at home, so we need to get one back. We have got back to our winning ways, so it's about hitting repeat, doing things well and being really disciplined.

"But it is a difficult game and we are going to have to play really well."

It has been a topsy-turvy campaign for Northants, who won their first six matches, then lost the next five, before winning two on the spin to secure that last eight qualification.

"It was a tough time when we had that two weeks where we didn't win a game," Lehmann admitted to SteelbacksTV.

"But it is about being positive, the players are working hard doing everything right off the field so it was a case of it was going to turn around.

"They just had to believe in themselves, they are good players and they have played well in the past couple of games."

Durham have been hit by the news that head coach Ryan Campbell has had to return to Australia following a family bereavement.

Graham Onions will stand in as Interim men’s head coach until Campbell’s return.

But Campbell did speak to durhamcricket.co.uk ahead of the game against Northants, and said: "We’re still in control of our own destiny. On Friday it is winner takes all and that's brilliant.

"This competition, particularly the North Group, has been such a competitive affair. You’ve seen everyone beat everyone.

"As a team, we’ve developed our strategies pretty well.

"We’ve had guys play good cricket without being unbelievable. We’ve had such a good team effort all the way down the list, that’s been the exciting part."

Durham were 15- run winners when the teams met at Wantage Road back in June, recovering from 77 for five to post 157 for eight, and then pegging the Steelbacks back after they had eased to 76 for one in reply.

A key man for them that night was New Zealander and former Steelback Jimmy Neesham, who hit 50 not out and claimed three for 29, but he will not be involved on Friday as he is away on international duty.

As for Northants, they are still without all-rounder Justin Broad, who has failed to recover from injury.

Northants Steelbacks squad v Durham: Willey, Bartlett, Bopara, Breetzke, Guthrie, Keogh, Leech, McManus, Pope, Procter, Sanderson, Scrimshaw, Vasconcelos, Zaib

Durham squad v Steelbacks: Ackermann, Aldridge, Bedingham, Clark, Conners, de Leede, Lees, McKinney, Parkinson, Potts, Raine, Rhodes, Robinson, Sowter