Friends Life T20: Levi's ton eliminates Gloucestershire

Richard Levi

Northamptonshire 206 for 3 (Levi 110*) beat Gloucestershire 189 for 6 (Cockbain 60, Willey 4-32) by 17 runs

Richard Levi scored a magnificent century to guide Northamptonshire to a comprehensive 17-run win over Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. The South African scored 110 from just 62 balls, hitting 15 fours and five sixes. David Willey ensured Levi’s knock didn’t go in vain as he grabbed four wickets to end Gloucestershire innings at 189/6.

Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bowl first. Northamptonshire got off to a solid start as Levi and Kyle Coetzer put on 31 runs for the first wicket. Coetzer, however, was dismissed in the fourth over by Smith for 15. Cameron White didn’t make any impact with the bat as he was dismissed for 10 by Howell. But Wakely and Richard Levi’s partnership of 89 runs for the third wicket helped Northamptonshire cross the 200-run mark.

However, Wakely was dismissed in the 16^th over by Howell as the latter was caught at long-off by Cockbain for a well-made 35. Although the wickets fell around Levi, he did not keep silent as he kept scoring at a brisk-rate. He blasted Gloucestershire all over the park and scored an impressive century to inch closer towards the 200-run mark. Crook also joined Levi as he struck two glorious sixes of Payne to take Northamptonshire to 206 for the loss of 3 wickets.

Howell grabbed two wickets for Gloucestershire and Smith scalped one wicket, but the rest of the bowlers were clobbered by Richard Levi.

Gloucestershire had a stiff-task on hand, as they had to chase in excess of 10 runs per over. They desperately needed a good start, which did not happen as they lost Hamish Marshall and Michael Klinger within the first six overs. Dent soon followed Klinger, just as the former, was clean bowled by Willey, to leave Gloucestershire reeling at 21/3.

Daniel Christian played a good little innings of 25, but he failed to convert it into a meaningful innings as he was dismissed in the 10^th over. However, Gidman and Cockbain gave some hope for Gloucestershire as the duo put on a wonderful partnership of 72 runs for the fifth wicket. However, after the wicket of Gidman, Gloucestershire lost the plot and eventually fell short by 17 runs.

With this win, Northamptonshire have good chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals as they top the Midlands group. On the other hand, Gloucestershire have no chance of qualifying to the next round as they have lost five of their six matches.