Vasconcelos proud to shine on 'the biggest stage' and steer Steelbacks to Blast glory

The classy left-hander played some glorious shots as he stroked 11 fours and two sumptuous driven sixes in his 59-ball stay, that set Northants on their way to what would be a winning total of 169 all out.

The innings took the 28-year-old's campaign tally to an excellent 439 runs in 15 matches, but it was his first half-century of the competition.

Vasconcelos has made several excellent starts, but had failed to get past 50 in any of his 14 previous innings - so he was delighted to get that monkey off his back when it mattered most.

It was also a knock that won him the man-of-the-match award.

In the wake of Saturday's 14-run win over Hampshire that sealed the title, Vasconcelos was asked about failing to kick on in those other matches this season.

"There are a few people on Twitter who were mentioning that," said Vasconcelos. "And I was just as frustrated as everybody else was!

"I have kind of struggled to get that big score, so to get it in the final means a lot.

"I was playing nicely throughout the whole comp, I just kept getting out, so I am really happy that I could do it on Saturday on the biggest stage.

"Hopefully, next season I can do it again a few times."

Saturday's title triumph was a third Blast success for Northants, and a first for 10 years since Josh Cobb inspired the Steelbacks to a final win over a star-studded Durham side back in 2016.

And Vasconcelos believes it was a trophy win that was well merited.

"It's something that I think, with the cricket we have played over the whole competition, that we have deserved," he said.

"I don't really know how I am feeling, and am a bit lost for words, but I am very proud of everybody in the dressing room, and it is what everyone deserves. It's an amazing feeling.

"It is such a great club, and I just love playing here."

Just as it was in the club's previous T20 triumphs in 2013 and 2016, this season's success has been down to a superb team ethic that has been instilled by head coach Darren Lehmann.

And Vasconcelos added: "On Saturday, just as throughout the whole competition, it has been different guys putting their hands up at different moments, and that's what it takes to win a competition.

"It is a squad effort, it is not just the 11 players, or a couple of superstars, it is a whole squad and I think everybody has put their hands up and that's why it is a sweeter when it is like that."

Many of the Steelbacks fans inside Edgbaston, as well as those watching at home, will have feared the worst in the final when Northants collapsed from 138 for twoto 169 all out in the final - losing their last eight wicks for 31 runs, and their last seven for 21

But Vasconcelos felt that total was just about right on a difficult surface, and that he and his team-mates had full belief they would bowl and field well enough to bring the T20 trophy home.

"When I got out I came off and I told the lads that 170 would be a good score," said Vasconcelos.

"It wasn't easy out there when pace was taken off the ball, and they were using the long side, so it wasn't easy to bat, especially when hitting.

"You could rotate, but when trying to strike the ball cleanly and over the ropes, it wasn't the easiest.

"I thought we had enough, and everybody believed we did, and we went out and showed it."