Sadler believes Steelbacks have made 'a real statement' in the Blast

John Sadler and Saif Zaib celebrate the crucial win over Birmingham Bears (Picture: Peter Short)

Head coach John Sadler believes the Steelbacks made 'a real statement' with their stunning four-wicket Vitality Blast win at Lancashire Lightning last week.

Northants created a slice of history as they claimed their first T20 win at Old Trafford at the eighth attempt.

And to do it they chased down the home side's daunting 201 for nine with eight balls to spare, largely thanks to a brutal 76 from just 31 balls from South African opener Matthew Breetzke.

The win came just 24 hours after an equally impressive 11-run win over North Group winners Birmingham Bears at a buzzing County Ground, and ensured Steelbacks leapfrogged the Lightning to finish second and tie up a home T20 quarter final for the first time in eight years.

Northants Steelbacks head coach John Sadler was delighted to secure a home Blast quarter-final (Picture: Peter Short)

It was a Manchester night to savour for David Willey and his team, who now take on holders Somerset on September 5 for a place at Finals Day at Edgbaston.

And Sadler believes his team's performance against Lightning will have made all the other teams left in the competitiion sit up and take notice.

"It was fantastic, it really was, just for everybody involved," said Sadler on the securing of a home quarter-final.

"It gives the whole club a life when you do well, and you get the results that you have trained so hard for.

"So I am obviously delighted for the players and the coaching staff, but also the office staff, the events team, the commercial team, marketing, the caterers, chief executive, chairman, everybody.

"There is so much work goes into it, so it is just so pleasing for everybody involved when you get some good days.

"I was pleased to reach the quarters, but to then go and win at Lancashire in the fashion that we did has put a real statement out there that we mean business, and that we are doing things the right way."

Sadler also had words of praise for the Steelbacks supporters who have turned out in decent numbers this season, and helped create a cracking atmosphere for the crucial win over the Bears.

An atmosphere Sadler is hoping can be even bettered for the clash with Somerset when it comes around.

"It was brilliant (against the Bears) and make no mistake that support is massive for us," said the head coach. "And I know it will be even more important for us on quarter-finals day.

"I am sure that home crowd will make it noisy and it will be raucous, as that support from our home crowd is fantastic."

The one frustration for Sadler and his team is that they do now have to wait more than a month to play the quarter-final.

"It would have been nice for the quarters to have been this week as we had built some real momentum and real belief," said the head coach.

"But I am sure when the quarters come round we will be up to speed.

"We can only control what we can control, and we can't control the ECB schedules, so we have to crack on with things as best we can. But we will be ready to go in five weeks."