FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Northampton: Northants 144-8 tied with Nottinghamshire 144-7 Match scorecard
Jack Brookes beats the efforts of Notts wicketkeeper Chris Read to earn Northants a tie
Northants and Nottinghamshire recorded their second tie of this season's FP t20 amid controversy at Wantage Road.
Three run outs in the final over, including Andrew Hall - given out after colliding with Dirk Nannes - meant the hosts needed three from the final ball.
Jack Brookes then scrambled two to leave Northants on 144-8, level with Nottinghamshire's 144-7.
The two sides tied at Trent Bridge earlier in the year, while Northants have also tied with Yorkshire.
Brooks (2-16) struck twice to help reduce Notts to 13-3 before Australia international David Hussey (41) and Samit Patel (40) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 76 to help the visitors recover.
Veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder Chaminda Vaas, who had earlier conceded just 17 runs in his four overs, then blasted 47 from 30 balls to seemingly put Northants on course for victory.
After he edged Patel into the hands of Nannes, the hosts needed 38 from the last overs, which they reduced to 10 runs required from the final six balls.
The controversial dismissal of Hall, who was seemingly impeded by Nannes, was followed by the run outs of both James Middlebrook and Ben Howgego before Brooks secured the tie with the only ball he faced.
However, despite honours being even, Hall's dismissal resulted in both the Notts players and umpires Vanburn Holder and Michael Gough being booed as they left the field.
Northants captain Andrew Hall tells BBC Radio Northampton: "They stuck to their guns that they wanted the run out. There's not much we can do about it.
"We tried to get quick runs but we couldn't get the boundaries. We had a couple of run outs and it didn't go for us.
"One point is better than no points. We have to move forward and hope to do enough to get us into the quarter-finals."
Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell: "Northants were much the better side in the first 10 overs of each innings.
"We were 13-3 and did very well to get 144. They bowled well with the new ball and we could hardly lay a bat on it.
"Then they started very well but lost their way. It was a contrast with us because they belted us in the opening overs but our spinners dominated the game in the middle overs onwards."
BBC Radio Northampton's Richard Savage: "What drama and controversy. This game will be remembered for the incident involving Nannes and Hall, when Hall seemed to have been impeded going for a second.
"Whether it would have made a difference in the end we'll never know. The Northants skipper was seething afterwards but dealt with it in his usual magnanimous way.
"Whatever your thoughts on the obstruction the truth is that Northants yet again lost a golden opportunity for two points. These ties could come back to haunt them even if they win their next three matches.
"The home side controlled this game for a very long time and to again not finish it off and win will leave Hall tearing out that rapidly growing beard of his."
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