Report Agar, Breetzke seal crucial Northants win in eight-over shoot-out Lewis McManus' late sixes leave Durham on brink of elimination ECB Reporters Network 14-Jul-2024 • 30 mins ago Ashton Agar hit 31 off 14 balls from No. 3 • Andy Kearns/Getty Images Northamptonshire 91 for 4 (Agar 31) beat Durham 90 for 5 (Turner 36*) by six wickets Ashton Agar and Lewis McManus blasted Northamptonshire Steelbacks to a crucial Vitality Blast win at the Seat Unique Riverside, as the visitors beat Durham by six wickets in a rain-affected match. Having been put in by the Steelbacks, Ashton Turner (36) continued his good form and along with Colin Ackermann (25) powered Durham to a competitive total of 90 for five from their reduced allocation of eight overs amid some wayward fielding from the visitors.
Agar came in at No. 3 and smashed 31 to give the visitors a platform to chase down 91 and McManus along with Saif Zaib guided the visitors home with six wickets to spare. Northants are now in the box seat for qualification as they still have two games to play, with a home fixture against Birmingham Bears and a visit to Lancashire still to come.
Meanwhile, Durham have to pray for some favourable results elsewhere as they have just one group game left, a trip to Derbyshire on Friday night. With plenty of rain falling at Chester-le-Street, play didn't start until 5.10 pm and the game was reduced to eight overs per side.
The Steelbacks won the toss and elected to bowl first, with Graham Clark a.
