Sanderson praises McManus as Steelbacks clinch crucial Blast victory over Durham

Chasing 141 to win, the Steelbacks looked to be in a little bit of bother as they needed 50 to win from the final five overs.

But McManus held his nerve to strike 25 not out from just 16 balls, hitting a four and two sixes, while Australian import Ashton Agar added a crucial unbeaten 11 - including a huge six in the final over - on his debut to see his new team home with just two balls to spare.

Earlier, Sanderson had claimed career-best T20 bowling figures of four for 15 as the Steelbacks bowled the visitors out for 140 - which was a good recovery from Durham as they were at one point four for three!

The win was a much-needed one for the Steelbacks, who were also indebted to 41 from 33 balls from opener Ricardo Vasconcelos, and sees them move above Durham and into third place in the North Group table, just one point behind second-placed Lancashire Lightning.

They are also now two points better off than the fifth-placed team, Derbyshire.

“I was a bit nervous there and I was having to start padding up myself," admitted Sanderson.

"Lewis has been awesome all comp for us down there, he can bat higher if we needed him to.

"But coming in there under pressure and putting a few big hits away for us to make it comfortable in the last over, we might say.

"And Ashton's been around, and he's calm. So, we knew when we needed eight, you’re kind of favourites there in the last over."

The outcome was a lot closer and more nerve-jangling than most in the ground would have anticipated when Durham were reduced to four for three in the powerplay, with Sanderson and skipper David Willey, who took one for 11 from three overs, keeping things very tight.

Colin Ackermann was the main reason for Durham posting a competitive total, hitting a superb 70 from just 52 balls, before he was dismissed by Raphy Weatherall off the final ball of their innings.

It was a good bowling effort from the Steelbacks, with Sanderson the pick of the bunch, and he admitted: “It's always nice when you get a pitch that suits a little bit.

"You can just go back to your bread and butter which is hard line, hitting top of off and it worked for me today. It’s always a bonus in T20 when that happens."

On the incredible start to the match, Sanderson added: "Actually, I let us down there, I think we could have bowled four maidens in a row if I didn’t bowl a leg stump half volley!

"As soon as we signed Dave [Willey], I looked forward to bowling with him just for that reason, really.

"Because I know we're both two tight bowlers. So, I'm surprised we haven't done it in the past before really."

Ackermann was left surprised that he and his team-mates got so close to claiming a victory.

“Obviously losing early wickets set us back quite a bit," said the former Leicestershire man. "We didn’t really have a right to win the game to be honest, only getting 140 on the board.

"But it just shows the fight and the character we’ve got in the team and to take it all the way into the last overs is a credit to our squad.

“We needed to rein it in a touch in the powerplay, we knew that obviously they were hunting for wickets, so I just tried to take it as deep as possible.

"We do bat deep all the way down, so I just tried to take it as deep as possible and try to get a decent score on the board.“I kind of knew my role was to just try and be in for the last five overs and luckily I did that and capitalised towards the back end."

The Steelbacks now have a free week before travelling to Grace Road to take on sixth-placed Leicestershire Foxes on Friday night.

The Foxes are two points behind Northants.

Quotes courtesy of Jeremy Blackmore