Unbeaten Northamptonshire Make It Eight From Eight With Dominant Chase

Northamptonshire won by 8 wickets (with 16 balls remaining) in the 70th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 at County Ground, Bristol. David Willey‘s blistering 73 off 32 balls powered Northamptonshire to their eighth consecutive win of the campaign, chasing down Gloucestershire‘s 184/2 with ease. Northamptonshire sit top of the table (8W 0L, 32pts, NRR +2.142) while Gloucestershire remain 4th (5W 3L, 20pts).

First Innings – Malan Anchors Gloucestershire to 184/2

Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bat, with Dawid Malan producing a classy 91 not out from 55 balls (6 fours, 4 sixes, SR 165) to anchor the innings. D’Arcy Short (16 off 16, 2 fours) fell early at 44/1 in the 6th over, but Liam Scott (33 off 23, 3 fours, 1 six) helped Malan rebuild with a 79-run second-wicket partnership before being caught at 123/2 in the 13th over.

Miles Hammond (33 not out off 26, 1 four, 2 sixes) provided steady support in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 61 that carried Gloucestershire to 184/2 – a total that would have been competitive against most opposition. Northamptonshire’s bowlers went for plenty – James Sales (1/45 from 4) and Calvin Harrison (1/29 from 3) took the wickets – but none of the six bowlers used conceded fewer than 7.67 an over.

Second Innings – Willey and McSweeney Demolish the Chase

Ricardo Vasconcelos (36 off 30, 5 fours) and Nathan McSweeney gave Northamptonshire a solid start, putting on 82 for the first wicket before Vasconcelos was caught at 82/1 in the 9th over. Any hopes Gloucestershire had of fighting back evaporated when David Willey walked in and launched a breathtaking assault.

Willey smashed 73 off just 32 balls (2 fours, 7 sixes) at a strike rate of 228, adding 99 runs with McSweeney in 49 balls for the second wicket. Willey’s dismissal at 181/2 in the 17th over was academic – McSweeney (72 not out off 40, 8 fours, 2 sixes, SR 180) saw the chase home comfortably with Saif Zaib (2 not out). Daaryoush Ahmed (2/33 from 4) was the only Gloucestershire bowler to take a wicket, while Marchant de Lange (0/40 from 4) went wicketless.

Statz MVP – David Willey (119)

David Willey earns the Statz MVP award with an mi_rating of 119. His 73 off 32 balls effectively ended the contest, and his 0/31 from 4 overs with the ball earlier kept him involved throughout. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Willey’s explosive batting in a successful chase earns him the top rating despite not taking a wicket. No official Man of the Match was awarded.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. David Willey (NOR) – 119 – 73 off 32 (SR 228, 7 sixes) plus 0/31 bowl. Took apart the chase with brute power.
2. Dawid Malan (GLO) – 95 – 91 not out off 55 (SR 165). A top-class innings rendered irrelevant by Northamptonshire’s firepower.
3. Nathan McSweeney (NOR) – 78 – 72 not out off 40 (SR 180). Calm head throughout, saw the chase home from start to finish.
4. Daaryoush Ahmed (GLO) – 74 – 2/33 from 4 overs. The only Gloucestershire bowler to make any inroads.
5. Liam Scott (GLO) – 48 – 33 off 23 with the bat plus 0/39 bowl. Useful contributions in a losing cause.

Turning Point

Vasconcelos’ dismissal at 82/1 in the 9th over (ball 8.4, caught off Daaryoush Ahmed) gave Gloucestershire a brief glimmer of hope. But David Willey came in and blitzed 73 off 32 balls with seven sixes, turning what might have been a pressure moment into a demolition. The turning point was really the absence of one – Northamptonshire never let Gloucestershire back into the match.

Match Context

This was the 70th match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 group stage. Northamptonshire (1st, 8W 0L, 32pts, NRR +2.142) continue their perfect start to the season and look increasingly like the team to beat. No other side has matched this run. Gloucestershire (4th, 5W 3L, 20pts) remain well placed for qualification but need to find answers against the top sides. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown.