Sadler states 'tables don't lie' as he calls on Steelbacks to 'upskill pretty quickly'

Head coach John Sadler admits 'the tables don't lie' as the Steelbacks prepare for make-or-break Vitality Blast weekend at the County Ground.

Sixth-placed Lancashire Lightning head to Wantage Road on Friday night (start 6.30pm) before leaders Notts Outlaws come to town on Sunday (2.30pm), and they are both must-win matches for Northants.

Following last week's disappointing double dose of defeat on the road, and in particular the limp nature of Friday's 30-run loss at Birmingham Bears chasing just 138 to win, the Steelbacks sit second from bottom in the North Group.

The only the positive is that they are still just two points off the top four and four points off second place, so still have a genuine chance of claiming a quarter-final place.

But it is safe to say this was not the position David Willey's team expected to be in, having lost five of their opening eight matches – and they are going to have to turn their form around pretty sharpish to reach the knockout stages.

The T20 struggles mirror the team's issues in the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One, with Northants sitting rock-bottom after six matches in that competition, having won one and lost four.

And following the deflating Blast loss at Edgbaston, Sadler accepted that the fact is more of the club’s players need to up their game.

"You look at the bigger picture, and after eight games it reflects where you're at as a group," said Sadler after the loss to the Bears.

"It reflects the level of skill, and the table doesn't lie so we are down the bottom fighting now.

"We still believe that we can get on a run of form and get momentum.

"We have five games coming up in eight days after a little break, and if you can get momentum and get confidence up the anything is possible.

"But I think in this first eight games, and then even before that in the Championship, the two tables don't lie.

"I said to the lads afterwards, if the game could talk to you, what would it tell you?

"I think it is time to reflect, and some guys have to dig deep, work hard on their games, and upskill pretty quickly."

The Steelbacks players have been given time off after their loss on Friday, and will return to training on Wednesday ahead of a hectic five-day spell.

After the weekend dates with Lightning and Outlaws, Northants travel to Yorkshire Vikings on Tuesday (June 20), host Derbyshire on Wednesday (June 21) and then head to Leicestershire Foxes on the Friday (June 23).

"The break is useful, it has been a tough period as the games have come thick and fast," said Sadler, whose team played three consecutive away matches last week.

They won the first at Worcestershire before losing the next two, and the head coach added: "We had a four or five-day road trip to Worcester and to Durham, and it does take its toll, as the lads got back at 2am or something like that.

"Then obviously, when you are out of form you come in and train, so the rest is not there, but it is what it is, it is part of the game and is what you sign up for.

"So there are no excuses there, but this is a little opportunity to have a two or three day break, switch off from the game for all of us, coaches and players, which will be nice if we can switch off.

"But then I think we have to put in some serious yards to upskill very quickly, and to try and get some confidence."