Northamptonshire 161 for 8 (Duckett 84, Wakely 53, Russell 3-20) beat Nottinghamshire 153 for 9 (Russell 39, Read 30, Crook 3-28) by eight runsScorecardA career-best T20 score from Ben Duckett powered Northants into the NatWest Blast T20 final for the third time in four years.Despite their well-documented financial troubles and the loss of Seekkuge Prasanna to international duty and Richard Gleeson to injury, Northants overcame a Nottinghamshire side that came into finals day having won their last nine T20 matches and containing nine international players and to win by eight runs.Northants looked unlikely victors when, 14 balls into the game, they had subsided to 15 for 3. And, had either of two inside edges from Ducketts bat hit the stumps rather than skidded to the fine leg boundary, it is quite possible this match could have ended as a contest almost before it had begun.But in partnership with captain Alex Wakely, Duckett helped add 132 in 82 balls showed once again why he is one of the highest-rated young batsmen in county cricket.Demonstrating an outrageous range of scoops, reverse pulls and drives, Duckett thrashed 84 from 47 balls - only two short of the record individual score on Finals Day - to take Northants to a competitive total.While some batsman might have been forgiven for consolidating after such a poor start, Duckett reasoned there was little sense in attempting to eke out a modest total on what looks to be an excellent surface and instead counter-attacked from the start.Stuart Broad was laced through mid-off and nudged off his hips for boundaries before Samit Patel was reverse-pulled for six. At one stage he took three boundaries in succession off Steven Mullaney - a reverse sweep, a scoop and a drive - while one Patel over was punished for 20, including a six crunched over long-on.Ducketts success does raise questions, though. Would he have won an opportunity to play in an eight-team city-based competition? As a 21-year-old developing at one of the smaller counties, would he have been given an opportunity ahead of more experienced players at more fashionable counties?He is the latest in an impressive array of talent to emerge from Northants in recent years. He recently scored 650 List A runs in the space of two weeks, including a double-century against Sri Lanka A, and was probably unfortunate to miss out on a place in the England ODI squad.Whether the club can keep him remains unclear. He is not out of contract but, like David Willey and Olly Stone before him, he is sure to attract interest from counties with deeper pockets.The value of the Wakley-Duckett partnership was highlighted once Duckett was dismissed, attempting to slog-sweep. Northants only managed one boundary in the last 25 balls of their innings, with nobody except Duckett and Wakely making more than 7.Andre Russell, despite struggling with a sore knee that forced him off the pitch at one stage, came to bowl his final over and claimed two wickets - Rory Kleinveldt and Steven Crook - to catches on the midwicket boundary and conceded just three runs in the process.Nottinghamshire were soon 15 for 3 in reply. After Michael Lumb edged to third man and Alex Hales was bowled by one that nipped back, Dan Christian was hurried by a short ball and top-edged to fine leg.But Russell plundered 20 - three fours, two of which were delicately played through or over point and one six, which was thrashed over midwicket - from one Azharullah over to put his side back on track. While Riki Wessels was caught on the point boundary, attempting to clear the field with a reverse sweep, Patel helped Russell add 45 in just 25 balls.But an outstanding piece of athleticism on the midwicket boundary - Rob Keogh throwing himself full length to cling on to an outstanding catch - ended Russells innings and, with Patel falling to a sharp return catch and Mullaney pulling to midwicket, it seemed Nottinghamshire would fall well short.Northants put down three chances - none of them easy - in seven balls, though, to allow Notts back into the game. Chris Read, the fortune batsman on two occasions, thrashed a quick 30 to leave Northants - struggling to bowl their overs within the permitted time and risking a six-run penalty as a result - a little rattled. But when Read was caught at long-on, Notts chances disappeared with him and left Northants into the final once more.We saved our worst performance of the season for the semi-final, Notts captain Dan Christian admitted. Nike Vapormax Grossiste . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Vapormax Flyknit 2 Noir Pas Cher . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. http://www.vapormaxpascher.be/air-max-vapormax-plus-pas-cher/homme.html . 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MADRID -- Gerard Pique says the 2018 World Cup in Russia will be his final tournament with Spain because he feels he is not wanted in the national team.The Barcelona defender made the announcement after Spains 2-0 win at Albania on Sunday in European qualifying for the World Cup. Spain currently tops Group G, with only first place giving automatic qualification.I always give everything I have on the field, but there are people who think its better if Im not here, Pique said. After Russia, a stage will have ended for me.The player is often jeered by many Spaniards because of his pro-Catalonia stance. He recently appeared to support a pro-independence move by the Catalan region, upsetting those who opposed it.Pique stirred a social media controversy during Sundays match by cutting the sleeves of his soccer jersey instead of changing into the short sleeves which have the colors of the Spanish flag. He said the long sleeves were bothering him.Pique said his decision to retire had already been made before this latest controversy.Its not a `heat of the moment decision, Ive given a lot of thought to this.dddddddddddd the 29-year-old Pique said. Its not because of what happened today, its because I always give my best on the field and, although there are some people who have thanked me, some dont think its OK for me to be here.The defender said he also wants to give way for younger players.You need to give them some space, Pique said. Ill be 31, Ive won everything with the national team. Ill try to play my 100th game with the team, and I want to win the World Cup again, which is the most important thing.Pique, who has two children with his long-term partner, Colombian singer Shakira, helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.With Barcelona, he won six Spanish league titles, as well as three club World Cups and three Champions Leagues.Life goes on, he said. I still want to be with Barcelona for several years.The Spanish football federation released a statement supporting the player. ' ' '