Former South Africa international Andrew Hall starred with bat and ball as Northants Steelbacks booked their first trip to Twenty20 Cup finals day with a 13-run victory in their rearranged clash against Hampshire Hawks.

Hall top-scored with a quickfire 39 to haul Northants to a respectable total of 134 for six before taking 3-25 as Hampshire collapsed at Wantage Road.

Once dangerman Dimitri Mascarenhas fell to Johan van der Wath, the Friends Provident Trophy winners lost four wickets in eight balls as Northants booked a semi-final match against Sussex on August 15.

Hawks captain Mascarenhas put the hosts into bat and his decision paid off when he dismissed Stephen Peters for a duck, the opener flashing to Chris Benham.

It got better for Mascarenhas in the next over as Dominic Cork, picking up where he left off on Saturday, forced Rob White to edge to wicketkeeper Tom Burrows.

Mascarenhas soon picked his second wicket and the scalp of captain Nicky Boje for five as Liam Dawson took a great catch at cover to leave the home side wobbling on 16 for three.

Alex Wakely (18) briefly lifted spirits by scoring 13 off a Mascarenhas over but he mistimed a pull shot off Chris Tremlett to give Sean Ervine an easy catch.

Niall O’Brien clung on for 25 before edging to Burrows in Ervine’s first over just as Northants seemed to be getting back to an even keel.

Ervine continued to haunt Northants when he bowled Riki Wessels, who made a steady 22 when his side needed something more spectacular.

But despite being reduced to 82 for six, an unbeaten seventh wicket partnership of 52 between Hall and van der Wath (14) saw Northants post a respectable score.

Hall continued his form when he bowled Jimmy Adams for a duck in the second over as part of a superb wicket maiden.

Team-mate Lee Daggett then got in on the act dismissing Michael Lumb for 26 with his first ball and Michael Carberry (15) who edged to O’Brien.

When Chris Benham was caught on the boundary by van der Wath and Liam Dawson was stumped trying to hit spinner Monty Panesar, Hampshire were teetering on 62 for five in the 11th over.

Ervine (28) was brilliantly caught by Daggett to give Boje his second wicket with the game in the balance.

When Mascarenhas’ innings of 36 off 24 balls came to an end in the 17th over, a thrilling finish was on the cards with the visitors needing 17 off the last two overs.

But Cork, Tremlett and Tom Burrows all fell without adding to Hampshire’s total.

Ticket information will appear here tomorrow...