Bopara's 45-ball Ton Helps Northants Stun Surrey

Vitality Blast quarter-final, The Kia Oval

Northants 154-4 (14 overs): Bopara 105*; Clark 3-13

Surrey 147-6 (14 overs): S Curran 69*, Pope 41; Scrimshaw 3-34

Northants won by 7 runs - lucifer reduced to 14 overs per side

Scorecard

Ravi Bopara rolled backmost nan years pinch a stunning 45-ball period arsenic Northamptonshire hit Surrey by 7 runs successful a rain-shortened T20 Blast quarter-final astatine The Oval.

Former England all-rounder Bopara, 40, went successful astatine number 3 aft nan first-ball dismissal of opener Ricardo Vasconcelos and led Northants' betterment from 1-2 to 154-4 from their 14 overs.

Bopara struck 12 fours and 5 sixes, reaching nan 3rd T20 period of his profession pinch a bound to good limb disconnected nan penultimate shot of nan innings and ending 105 not retired disconnected 46 balls.

Although Surrey kept up pinch nan required run-rate for agelong spells of their chase, they besides mislaid wickets astatine regular intervals.

Captain Sam Curran starred pinch an unbeaten 69 but his efforts proved successful vain arsenic nan location broadside ended 147-6.

Northants will play astatine Finals Day connected 13 September for nan first clip since 2016 - nan twelvemonth they astir precocious won nan competition.

Surrey, contempt finishing apical of nan South Group pinch 11 wins from 14 matches, missed retired connected a 3rd consecutive Finals Day quality astatine Edgbaston and their hold to adhd to their 2003 triumph continues.

Persistent rainfall earlier connected Wednesday had caused a hold of 1 hr and 20 minutes to nan scheduled commencement clip and a simplification of six overs per side.

The lucifer was not interrupted erstwhile it sewage nether way, but a bedewed outfield made fielding conditions highly difficult.

Bopara has appeared successful each twelvemonth of England's home T20 tourney since it launched successful 2003 and, successful his tally of 221 innings successful nan competition, it is inconceivable to deliberation he has produced a amended batting display.

Northants mislaid Vasconcelos and skipper David Willey for ducks successful Jordan Clark's first complete but nan visitors, who were responsible for 3 of nan 4 highest squad totals during nan group phase, quickly regrouped.

Clark and Chris Jordan (1-22) apart, Surrey's bowlers felt nan afloat unit of Bopara's onslaught. Curran and older relative Tom went for 74 runs disconnected their 5 overs combined, while England paceman Gus Atkinson was deed for 18 disconnected his solitary over.

Bopara's brilliance had put Northants successful a awesome position but Surrey, their batting line-up littered pinch internationals, were acold from retired of nan contest.

England Test batter Ollie Pope (41) added 74 for nan 3rd wicket pinch his skipper earlier being dismissed by George Scrimshaw (3-34), who besides removed Dan Lawrence successful nan aforesaid complete and later nan vulnerable Laurie Evans.

Some meticulous deliveries from Ben Sanderson and Willey near Surrey needing 19 disconnected Sanderson's last complete and that task proved beyond them.

Friday, 5 September

Saturday, 6 September

Saturday, 13 September