Douthwaite’s stunning 51* not enough as Northants hold on by three runs

Northamptonshire won by 3 runs against Glamorgan in a breathless finish at the County Ground, Northampton. The 4th match of 111 in the T20 Blast 2026 season delivered everything you want from a Friday night T20 – a dramatic collapse, a one-man rescue act, and a final over that went down to the wire. Glamorgan won the toss and chose to bowl first.

First Innings – Northamptonshire 165/8 (20 overs)

Northamptonshire lurched early. Chris Lynn fell for 8 off 11 balls with the score on 32 in the 4th over, and Ricardo Vasconcelos followed just three balls later for 20 off 11 at a strike rate of 182 – a quickfire cameo cut short at 33/2. David Willey added 11 off 10 before departing at 54/3 in the 8th over, and when Louis Kimber was run out at 70/4 in the 10th, Northamptonshire were staring down the barrel.

Nathan McSweeney anchored through the middle overs with 27 off 26, but it was the lower order that dragged Northamptonshire to a competitive total. Calvin Harrison struck 20 off 17 at a strike rate of 118, putting on 39 for the 6th wicket with Justin Broad. When Harrison fell at 118/6 in the 17th over, Lewis McManus came in swinging – smashing 14 off just 5 balls with two sixes at a strike rate of 280. Justin Broad top-scored with an excellent 38 off 25 (strike rate 152) before falling at 154/8, and James Sales finished unbeaten on 10 off 8 as Northamptonshire posted 165/8.

Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout with the ball, taking 4/34 from his four overs at an economy of 8.5. Mason Crane was tidy with 0/25 at 6.25, while Timm van der Gugten chipped in with 1/38.

Second Innings – Glamorgan 162/8 (20 overs)

Glamorgan‘s chase started poorly and got worse. Kiran Carlson fell for 12 at 14/1 in the 2nd over, Colin Ingram managed just 7 before departing at 25/2, and despite Ben Kellaway‘s punchy 20 off 11 (strike rate 182), the required rate kept climbing. Sean Dickson went LBW for 7 at 72/5 in the 9th over, and when Chris Cooke fell for 6 at 92/6 and Timm van der Gugten followed immediately at 94/7 in the 13th over, Glamorgan needed 72 from 46 balls with only Daniel Douthwaite and the tail left.

What followed was extraordinary. Daniel Douthwaite launched a stunning counterattack – five sixes in his unbeaten 51 off 34 at a strike rate of 150. Mason Crane provided composed support with 23 off 20 at a strike rate of 115, and together they added 62 for the 8th wicket to drag Glamorgan right back into it. But Crane’s dismissal at 156/8 in the 20th over left Douthwaite stranded with 10 needed from 5 balls. Ned Leonard couldn’t get the strike and Glamorgan finished on 162/8 – agonisingly three runs short.

James Sales was superb with the ball, conceding just 24 from four overs at an economy of 6.0 while taking 1 wicket. George Scrimshaw claimed 3/33 at 8.25, and Calvin Harrison took 2/34 with his 4 overs of spin.

Statz MVP – Daniel Douthwaite (136.08)

Daniel Douthwaite earns a Statz rating of 136.08 – an exceptional score that reflects the sheer impact of his performance. An unbeaten 51 off 34 balls featuring five sixes nearly won the match from 94/7, and he also contributed tidy figures of 4-0-29-0 with the ball at an economy of 7.25. All of this in a losing cause. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Douthwaite’s contribution in a seemingly hopeless position made him the clear standout. No official Man of the Match was awarded.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. Daniel Douthwaite – 136.08 – Unbeaten 51 off 34 with 5 sixes plus 4-0-29-0 bowling. Nearly pulled off the impossible.
2. Fazalhaq Farooqi – 91.34 – 4/34 from 4 overs at 8.5 economy. Set the tone with early wickets.
3. Calvin Harrison – 81.64 – All-round display with 20 off 17 batting and 2/34 from 4 overs bowling.
4. Justin Broad – 59.64 – Top-scored for Northamptonshire with 38 off 25 at a strike rate of 152. Crucial lower-order runs.
5. James Sales – 58.67 – The most economical bowler in the match (6.0) with 1/24 from 4 overs, plus 10* with the bat.

Turning Point

The dismissal of Mason Crane at 156/8 in the first ball of the final over. Crane and Daniel Douthwaite had added 62 for the 8th wicket to bring Glamorgan within touching distance. His departure left Douthwaite needing 10 from 5 balls with only Ned Leonard for company – an equation that proved just too steep. Three runs short. Heartbreaking for Glamorgan, but that partnership nearly won a match that had been dead and buried at 94/7.

Match Context

The win sees Northamptonshire move to 9th in the T20 Blast standings on 4 points (1 win, 0 losses), while Glamorgan sit 10th with 0 points after their opening defeat. A tight, dramatic start to both counties’ campaigns. full scorecard.