SOLAR NEWS

Chaminda Vaas proved unplayable and produced a magnificent spell claiming 3 for 16 in his four overs as Northamptonshire held Nottinghamshire to an exciting tie in a Friends Provident t20 - North Group match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Tuesday.

Vaas who has now been promoted as the pinch hitter to open the innings for Northants however failed for the first time with the bat since being promoted making four runs off six balls.

Northamptonshire made 121 for 7 in their 20 overs while Nottinghamshire were all out in the last ball for the same total.

Notts needed five off the final over and one off the last two balls to win but were instead dismissed for 121.

That Notts were in with a shout of victory was down to Steven Mullaney's 53 after Vaas struck three times in 11 balls to leave them 12-3.

Darren Pattinson had earlier taken 4-19 as Northants were restricted to 121-7.

They were the former England paceman's best bowling figures in Twenty20 cricket and helped seemingly put Notts in the driving seat, despite Alex Wakely top scoring with 43 and captain Andrew Hall finishing unbeaten on 40 for Northants.

That all changed with Vaas' early burst, which saw him remove Alex Hales, Ali Brown and Samit Patel.