Northamptonshire carried on their positive T20 preparations as several first team players featured in the 2XI’s double victory over Worcestershire 2XI.

Calvin Harrison scored 81 and shared a 106-run stand with Justin Broad to help the 2XI to a 28-run win in the first game, while 55 from Lewis McManus and three wickets from Liam Guthrie helped the side secure a tense two-run win in the second game at New Road.

Game 1:

Nathan McSweeney and Calvin Harrison opened up for the 2XI after Worcestershire won the toss and elected to bowl first. Unfortunately the 2XI lost an early wicket as McSweeney was bowled by Home for 2. The wicket brought Louis Kimber to the crease, and alongside Harrison, the pair looked to make use of the powerplay.

Kimber struck a quick-fire 24 from 11, which included two big leg-side sixes, before falling to Adam Finch in the 6th over.

It was still a good powerplay from the visitors as they finished it 71/2, with Broad and Harrison in the middle. The pair carried on the momentum are continued to score at around 10 an over. Just after the halfway mark, the 50 partnership was brought up in just 30 balls and in the 12th over, Harrison brought up his fifty from 29 deliveries.

Broad and Harrison’s partnership went into the 16th over but after Broad was caught behind on 46, the partnership worth 106 from 62 came to an end. The hosts struck two balls later as Harrison was caught on the off side for a brilliant 81.

Those two wickets slowed down the Steelbacks a little as they scored 27 runs from the final four overs to leave themselves 195/5 at the end of their innings.

In reply, Worcestershire got off to a tricky start as Dom Leech removed both openers in his first two overs. Another wicket fell inside the powerplay as Scrimshaw removed Cullen for 10.

A wicket from Gus Miller and a run out from Kimber restricted Worcestershire to 75/5 at the halfway mark, needing 121 from the second half of the innings.

Home threatened to make that possible for the hosts with 32 from 16, however two more Scrimshaw wickets, a sharp caught and bowled from Harrison and another Leech wicket meant that Worcestershire finished 167/9, 28 runs short of the Steelbacks.

Game 2:

A slightly changed Steelbacks 2XI batted first in the second game at New Road, with Chris Lynn opening with Harrison instead of McSweeney.

The hard hitting Australian was unable to make an impact as he was caught by Libby on the last ball of the opening over. George Bartlett, who was captaining the side in the second game, was out at three to join Harrison.

Bartlett and Harrison shared 79-run partnership from 46 to leave the Steelbacks 82/1 from just 8.3 overs. However, Harrison was removed by Darley the following delivery as he cut to Cullen for 34.

Bartlett explosive 47 from 28 came to an end the following over as he holed out to Cullen off the bowling of Haddow. Bartlett hit 5 fours and 2 sixes in his innings, but the 2XI found themselves 88/3 and needing a partnership to keep the pressure on the hosts.

Out came Lewis McManus, who hit a rapid half century as part of a 62-run partnership with Kimber. McManus blazed 6 sixes on his way to his way to the 50 mark. The 2XI were 150/4 with five overs to go but the dismissal of McManus for 55 left the 2XI with work to do.

They finished 194/6 after 18* from Rob Keogh, 8 from Stuart van der Merwe and 6* from Aadi Sharma.

In reply, Mohammed and Libby started strongly, putting on an opening stand of 49 before Liam Guthrie took a stunning one handed catch off his own bowling to removed Libby in the final over of the powerplay.

Kimber picked up a wicket in the next over as Mohammed top edged one to Lynn and short third man. Kimber then struck again in his following over as an advancing Roderick found Weatherall in the deep.

Adam Hose brought Worcestershire back into contention with a brutal 59 from 30, which contained 5 sixes. He was bowled by quicker Harrison delivery in the 15th over as he looked to reverse sweep the leg-spinner.

Former Steelbacks Sikandar Raza failed to trouble his old side as he was caught by Guthrie off the bowling of Weatherall for 14.

Worcestershire needed 10 off the final over after a dismissive Henry Cullen hit 37 from 16. Guthrie held his nerve however, removing the dangerous Cullen and Home in the over to give Northamptonshire victory by just two runs.

The Steelbacks start their Vitality Blast campaign at home to Glamorgan at the cinch County Ground on Friday 22nd May. Tickets can be bought here

For the scorecard and clips of the first game, click here

For the scorecard and clips of the second game, click here