The barefoot ritual that ended the victory over Surrey is more of a rugby and football tradition than a cricketing one. It was, nevertheless, saluted by Ravi Bopara – who at 40 years old is still hitting centuries in this format – and Darren Lehmann, the former Australia head coach inspiring a renaissance in the club’s Twenty20 fortunes.
Of course this matters immensely in the corridors of Wantage Road, but the Steelbacks also continue to attract widespread sympathisers from across county cricket.
A post shared by Northamptonshire Steelbacks (@northantsccc)
They had already flirted with oblivion, close to financial collapse in the mid-2010s before a major restructuring to bring in shareholders and become a limited company. Without that, the club might well not exist today. The Steelbacks still lack the economic muscle of the big hitters but are now virtually debt-free.
The modern Steelbacks are better known for two things. For England, a talent factory capable of producing international cricketers, but struggling to keep hold of them. David Willey left for Yorkshire in 2016, before returning in 2023.
Olly Stone was hand-picked from Norfolk as a teenager, nurtured and turned into a top-quality pace bowler before joining Warwickshire in 2017. Likewise, Ben Duckett, who moved on to Nottinghamshire a year later. Were it not for persistent injuries, David Sales may have joined them.
T20 Blast Finals Day fixtures
Saturday 13 September
Semi-final 1 – Lancashire vs Somerset – 11am
Semi-final 2 – Northamptonshire vs Hampshire – 2.30pm
Final – teams TBC – 6.45pm
The other side of their reputation is as a county of limited-overs specialists, even in more recent years when – much like the rest of the North Group – they have struggled to reach the T20 Blast’s later stages.
A similar bond has been forged between Willey, now captain, and Lehmann. This is a monumental vibe-shift – the coach from 10,000 miles away, once a great adversary of English cricket, singing Northamptonshire’s anthem The Fields Are Green after a first win at The Oval since 1999.
Ben Sanderson and David Willey celebrate after beating Surrey (Photo: Getty)
Lehmann is determined that the current squad should be aware of some of the more surprising names to have worn the shirt, even if only briefly: Sourav Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Curtly Ambrose, Anil Kumble, Matthew Hayden.
For a competition that has so long felt under threat, it is worth reiterating that it is primed for smaller counties to have a go at a shorter run of matches, without requiring the size of squad or consistency required in the Championship.
square CRICKET The T20 World Cup is five months away. Why don't we know where it is?
Read More
If that atmosphere was transportable to The Oval, Edgbaston promises to be even more raucous, with plenty more neutral admirers.
Fortunately, his county are no strangers to adversity. Then again, they are no strangers to Finals Day either. The ripple effect of another Northants triumph would be felt well beyond the realms of county cricket’s favourite dark horses.
Hence then, the article about northants steelbacks the shoe army and county cricket s ultimate underdog was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Northants Steelbacks, the ‘shoe army’ and county cricket’s ultimate underdog )
Also on site :