Northamptonshire beat Hampshire by 14 runs – T20 Blast Match Report
Northamptonshire won by 14 runs in the 115th and final match of the T20 Blast 2026 group stage at Edgbaston. Ricardo Vasconcelos delivered a masterclass with 88 off 59 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes) to propel the hosts to 169, before Sonny Baker‘s five-wicket haul proved decisive in restricting Hampshire to 155. The result crowns Northamptonshire champions of the group stage with 9 wins from 12 matches (36 points), while Hampshire finish runners-up on 8 wins (32 points).
Northamptonshire Innings – Vasconcelos Dominates
Hampshire won the toss and elected to bowl, but Northamptonshire’s batting lineup made them pay immediately. Chris Lynn fell for just 4 at 9/1 in the opening over, but Vasconcelos took charge from the outset. The Northamptonshire batter struck at 149, accumulating 11 fours and 2 sixes across his 59-ball innings. He was the centrepiece of a 59-run stand with Nathan McSweeney (30 off 16, strike rate 188), who fell LBW at 69/3 in the 7th over.
Lewis McManus contributed 22 off 17 (2 sixes) in a 69-run partnership with Vasconcelos, but the Hampshire bowlers kept chipping away. David Willey struck 11 off 8 (1 six) at 158/5 before falling at 158/5 in the 17th over. Vasconcelos was finally dismissed, clean bowled, at 148/6 in the 16th over – a moment that broke Northamptonshire’s momentum but left them well-placed.
The lower order collapsed spectacularly. Louis Kimber was bowled for a duck, Saif Zaib fell for 0, and Calvin Harrison was LBW for 1. James Sales was clean bowled for 0 at 160/10, but Ben Sanderson smashed 8 off 5 (1 six) in the final over to push Northamptonshire to 169.
Sonny Baker was the standout bowler for Hampshire, claiming 5/21 from 4 overs at an economy of 5.25 – a miserly display that kept the hosts in check. James Fuller took 3/36 from 4 overs, while Scott Currie claimed 2/38 from 3.5 overs. Chris Wood was expensive, conceding 43 from 4 overs without a wicket.
Hampshire Chase Falls Short
Hampshire’s chase began in chaos. Toby Albert fell for a duck at 0/1 in the opening ball, setting the tone for a stuttering innings. James Vince managed 17 off 16 (1 four, 1 six) before falling at 40/2 in the 5th over.
Joe Weatherley carried the fight with 75 off 53 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 142, building crucial partnerships to keep Hampshire in the hunt. Ben Mayes (9 off 11) fell at 68/4, and Tristan Stubbs was clean bowled for 2 at 77/5. Hilton Cartwright struck 11 off 5 (1 four, 1 six) before being clean bowled at 90/6.
Liam Dawson provided late-order fireworks with 35 off 18 (4 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 194, but he was run out at 138/7 in the 16th over. Fuller fell for 3 at 153/8, and Currie was clean bowled for 2 at 155/9. Baker was clean bowled for 0 in the final ball, leaving Hampshire 14 runs short.
James Sales was the pick of Northamptonshire’s bowlers with 3/25 from 4 overs, while Ben Sanderson took 2/26 from 3.2 overs. Luke Procter claimed 2/25 from 3 overs, and David Willey took 1/36 from 4 overs.
Statz MVP: Sonny Baker (Statz Rating: 155.4)
Sonny Baker earns the Statz MVP award with a mi_rating of 155.4 – the highest individual performance of the evening. His 5/21 from 4 overs was a masterclass in death bowling, restricting Northamptonshire’s lower order and keeping Hampshire within striking distance. Despite Hampshire falling short, Baker’s impact with the ball was decisive and match-defining. No official Man of the Match was awarded.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Sonny Baker (HAM) – Statz Rating: 155.4 | 5/21 from 4 overs (economy 5.25). Exceptional death bowling that nearly won the match single-handedly.
- James Sales (NOR) – Statz Rating: 89.96 | 3/25 from 4 overs (economy 6.25). Tight bowling in the chase that proved crucial to sealing victory.
- Ricardo Vasconcelos (NOR) – Statz Rating: 82.93 | 88 off 59 (SR 149, 11 fours, 2 sixes). Dominant batting display that set the platform for Northamptonshire’s total.
- Joe Weatherley (HAM) – Statz Rating: 74.39 | 75 off 53 (SR 142, 9 fours, 2 sixes). Valiant effort in the chase that nearly brought Hampshire home.
- Liam Dawson (HAM) – Statz Rating: 73.11 | 35 off 18 (SR 194, 4 fours, 1 six). Late-order aggression that kept Hampshire’s hopes alive until the final overs.
Group Stage Conclusion
This was the 115th and final match of the T20 Blast 2026 group stage. Northamptonshire finish as group champions with 9 wins from 12 matches (36 points) and a net run rate of 0.936. Hampshire secure the runners-up spot with 8 wins from 12 (32 points) and a net run rate of 0.283. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs. Check the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, and explore bet builder options for this fixture.
