Neesham guides chase to keep Foxes in hunt for knockouts

New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham's 67 from 34 balls led Leicestershire Foxes to a three-wicket victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks in what was a must-win fixture for the home side as the Vitality Blast group stage nears its conclusion.

Sol Budinger earlier matched Neesham's five sixes in a 25-ball 45 as the Foxes chased down 184 to win with five balls to spare, lifting them to 12 points from 12 matches with seven teams still in contention for the four quarter-final places on offer in the North Group.

Veteran former England allrounder Ravi Bopara hit two sixes as he struck 61 off 44 balls and Saif Zaib three maximums in his 50 off 28 as the Steelbacks posted 183 for seven after the Foxes had put them in. They had looked on for 200-plus but Ben Mike (three for 17) led a strong end to the innings by the home side.

The Steelbacks, though, have the benefit of one more match left than the Foxes, who face Notts Outlaws at home on Sunday before travelling to group leaders Birmingham Bears in their final fixture.

The Steelbacks lost Ricardo Vasconcelos and David Willey in the opening powerplay, the former top-edging Josh Hull into the deep at fine leg before Neesham - having his best night in Foxes colours against one of his former counties - bowled Willey.

But a recovery from 27 for two to 56 for two after six represented a decent start with Matthew Breetzke and Bopara crashing the first two sixes of the night.

They extended their partnership to 48 from 34 balls but a change to spin at both ends paid off as Breetzke's mistimed slog was caught at long-on for 34 off 20 balls, but some heavy damage was inflicted in the next eight overs as Zaib and Bopara added 83, both making their best scores of the season.

The Foxes finished well with the ball, however, taking four wickets for just 25 in the last four overs, Mike taking the starring role with three for eight in his last two, bowling Bopara and then having Zaib caught off a top-edge to fine leg before Lewis McManus holed out to cover. A tight death over from Hull saw Gus Miller run out off the final delivery.

Needing a little over nine an over, Leicestershire were 28 without loss from two after Budinger hit 23 from his first seven balls faced, including back-to-back sixes off Ashton Agar's left-arm spin. Ben Sanderson's first two overs went for 22 before Budinger hit three leg-side maximums in five deliveries from 19-year-old seamer Raphy Weatherall as the Foxes plundered 60 for one in the powerplay.

This was despite Willey conceding just a single in each of his two overs and claiming the wicket of Rishi Patel, who hammered 104 in the tied reverse fixture two weeks ago but perished for just one this time, the victim of a superb catch on the run by Agar at cover.

By the halfway point, the Steelbacks were fighting back well, having claimed three for 23 between overs seven and 10. Agar had Rehan Ahmed caught at long-on and Budinger off a miscue to backward point before Peter Handscomb was stumped off a wide delivery from Bopara.

The balance tipped back towards the home side as Neesham and Louis Kimber plundered 40 from the next three overs, with a couple of sixes each. Kimber had an escape on 19 when Willey just failed in a fine effort at deep midwicket off the left-arm wrist spin of Freddie Heldreich.

Kimber did not survive the return of Willey with the ball, pulling into the hands of deep backward square, but two fours and a six by Neesham off Agar left the Foxes needing 42 from five.

Needing 19 from 18 balls, the Foxes lost Ben Cox leg before to Weatherall, with another twist to come as Neesham skied Sanderson to deep extra cover with 10 still needed from eight but Goldsworthy and Mike picked off a boundary apiece to get the job done with five balls to spare.