Rob Newton
Rob Newton

Northants v Worcestershire: Scores & match report


The scores and report from Northamptonshire's Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Worcestershire at the County Ground.

Match scores (County Ground, Northampton)


Match tied

Worcestershire inns: 277-9 (Cox 82, Mitchell 75, Barnard 42*; Azharullah 3-60, White 2-54, Gleeson 2-56)

Northants inns: 277-7 (Newton 107, Rossington 63*, Wakely 52; D'Oliveira 2-44, Shantry 2-60)

Match report


Adam Rossington shone in a 13-run final over to help Northamptonshire tie their Royal London One-Day Cup match with Worcestershire at Wantage Road.

The visitors were indebted to Ben Cox (82), Daryl Mitchell (75) and Ed Barnard (42 not out from 27 balls) for helping them to 277 for nine from their 50 overs.

Rob Newton (102) and Alex Wakeley (52) led Northamptonshire's reply - but they needed three boundaries from Rossington (63 not out) in the final over, before a scrambled bye off the last ball earned them a point.

Worcestershire, put into bat, needed two recoveries of their own, having slipped to 118 for five.

Mitchell made a season's best 75, while Cox's List A best score cane after he had been dropped on five by Ben Sanderson, running around from long-on.

Cox went past 50 with three fours and two sixes - the second over long-on off Graeme White. When he fell - caught at third man attempting to paddle sweep Richard Gleeson - Worcestershire were 199 for eight and in danger of being bowled out well inside the allocation.

However, Barnard's battling innings from number 10 rallied the innings for a second time. He struck the ball cleanly down the ground, taking Azharullah for four, then six in what proved a significant knock.

Newton's innings looked to have handed Northamptonshire - beaten in their opening two matches in the completion - a much needed victory as he opened the batting in one-day cricket for the first time since 2013.

He drove and cut well in an opening stand of 55 with Josh Cobb before the latter, having lifted Joe Leach almost onto the upper tier of the Spencer Pavilion, dragged Jack Shantry into his stumps.

Richard Levi then pulled Barnard straight to deep square and when Rob Keogh tamely chipped a return catch to Brett D'Oliveira the hosts were in trouble at 92 for three.

However, Newton and Wakeley came together and Northamptonshire appeared to be in control of their chase, with Newton's maiden List A century coming from 109 balls.

The pair shared in a stand of 106 to steer the hosts to 198 for three in the 39th over, before Newton dragged a lofted drive to long-on.

Wakely was run out attempting a sharp single to short third man and Steven Crook edged a cut to Cox for a golden duck as Northamptonshire slipped to 219 for six.

Rossington only had the bowlers for company but he cut and drove with his usual excellent timing to keep the hosts in touch.

They needed 39 runs from 30 balls before Rossington pulled and then drove Joe Leach for boundaries - but he could not find a big over to take complete control of the situation.

Only five runs came from the penultimate over, meaning 14 were needed from the final six deliveries.

Rossington paddle-swept two boundaries off Leach to leave two required from the final delivery - but he could not connect with the last ball.

However, Leach's full delivery escaped wicketkeeper Ben Cox for a bye that left the hosts on 277 for seven, levelling the scores and ensuring each county took a point from a thrilling game played out in bitterly cold conditions.

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