Northamptonshire Steelbacks win their third T20 Blast title after a titanic tussle with Hampshire Hawks in an enthralling Edgbaston final.

Northamptonshire Steelbacks claimed their third T20 Blast title after beating Hampshire Hawks in an enthralling Edgbaston final. After being asked to bat first the Steelbacks survived a monumental collapse, losing their final eight wickets for 31 to post 169, opener Ricardo Vasconcelos providing the backbone with 88. But they mounted a fine comeback of their own with the ball to prevent Hampshire becoming the first team to win four T20 Blast titles in a nerve-shredding climax which went to the final over. The Hawks needed 31 to win from the final 20 balls with five wickets in hand but that became 15 to win from the final six balls with just two wickets remaining. Joe Weatherley was on strike on 75 - having hit an unbeaten 88 in their semi-final earlier in the day - however he skied Ben Sanderson to Northants skipper David Willey inside the rope at long-on and then Sanderson bowled Sonny Baker from the next ball to secure victory by 14 runs. The England paceman had earlier become the first bowler to claim five wickets on Finals Day with 5-21 in the first innings. After producing a fine display with both bat and ball to see-off Notts Outlaws in the last four, James Vince opted to bowl first after winning the toss for the final, despite knowing the Steelbacks had beaten Somerset batting first in the opening semi-final. Baker claimed the early scalp of dangerman and former Hawk Chris Lynn, the Australian veteran clipping a short delivery to Chris Wood at short fine leg, but the Steelbacks rallied with Vasconcelos and Nathan McSweeney (30) adding a swashbuckling 60 in six overs.