Somerset & Northants through to T20 Blast quarters

Defending champions Somerset and two-time winners Northants sealed quarter-final places connected a thrilling penultimate nighttime of nan T20 Blast group stage.

Surrey secured apical spot successful nan South Group and a location quarter-final arsenic Sam Curran smashed a maiden T20 period successful their five-wicket triumph complete Hampshire.

Somerset are successful rod position for nan different location quarter-final arsenic they hit Sussex to leapfrog nan Sharks into 2nd while Gloucestershire will subordinate them successful nan last-eight unless Essex debar conclusion astatine Hampshire connected Friday.

Despite 93 from Sam Hain, Northants toppled North Group leaders Birmingham Bears to set-up a important finale pinch second-placed Lancashire astatine Old Trafford connected Friday, pinch nan victor getting location advantage successful nan quarter-finals.

After a thrilling final-ball triumph astatine Worcestershire Rapids, Derbyshire request to amended Leicestershire’s consequence connected nan last time to scope nan past eight.

At Wantage Road, Saif Zaib starred for Northants Steelbacks pinch a blistering 86 disconnected 41 balls – clearing nan statement six times and adding 8 fours arsenic he fell conscionable six awkward of a career-best score.

Lewis McManus clubbed 22 from 10 balls astatine nan end, nan hosts’ 2nd highest score, arsenic they posted 197-6.

Bears slumped to 11-3 successful reply successful nan 3rd over, pinch Moeen Ali going first shot to David Willey.

Jacob Bethell and Hain put connected 92 from 9.4 overs earlier Bethell departed for a 31-ball 50, featuring 4 sixes.

Hain continued his onslaught but was caught down disconnected nan last shot arsenic they fell 11 runs short.

Derbyshire kept live their hopes of a quarter-final spot pinch a thrilling last-ball triumph astatine New Road.

Opener Ed Pollock led nan measurement for nan Rapids with 67 from 47 balls aft being put in, but Pat Brown claimed 4-23 positive a drawback and a run-out against his erstwhile broadside arsenic nan hosts posted 169-8.

When Wayne Madsen went for 44 to time off nan visitors 113-5 nan crippled looked up, but different erstwhile Pear Ross Whitely (41 from 22 balls) and Alex Thomson (17 from 10) struck 60 from 26 balls, pinch Thomson hitting a 4 done mid-wicket disconnected nan last transportation from Tom Taylor to triumph it by 5 wickets.

Somerset, nan 2023 winners, booked their spot successful nan past 8 pinch a perfectly measured pursuit against Sussex.

Ben Green claimed 4-17 arsenic nan Sharks were restricted to 158-9 aft being put successful astatine Taunton, opener Harrison Ward top-scoring pinch a quickfire 39.

A prestigious 42 from 20-year-old opener George Thomas group nan reside arsenic each Somerset subordinate scored astatine a strike-rate of 100 aliases more, pinch Tom Abell guiding them location pinch 47 from 34 balls to seal a six-wicket win.

Gloucestershire kept live their hopes of joining them successful nan quarter-finals arsenic they hit Middlesex at Chelmsford, but will request Essex to suffer their last crippled astatine Hampshire connected Friday to guarantee they make nan apical four.

Cameron Bancroft bludgeoned 87 from 54 balls pinch 3 sixes and 10 fours, but opening partner Miles Hammond (30 from 21) was nan only different subordinate to walk 15 arsenic nan visitors scored 179-8.

Middlesex made a blistering reply and looked favourites pinch Martin Andersson hitting 49 and putting connected 102 for nan opening wicket pinch skipper Leus du Plooy.

But they past mislaid 7 wickets to slump to 157-7 and Du Plooy was stranded connected 73 not retired from 52 balls, pinch Middlesex falling 10 short of their target.

Meanwhile astatine The Oval, England all-rounder Curran completed a breathtaking maiden T20 period pinch a six disconnected nan last shot arsenic Surrey beat Hampshire by 5 wickets.

Hampshire's Toby Albert made a breezy 66 – his maiden T20 half-century – but nan visitors were bowled retired for 183 pinch Jordan Clark picking up 3-24.

Surrey were connected nan ropes astatine 27-3 successful nan 5th complete of their reply but Dom Sibley (27) supported Curran successful a accelerated guidelines of 86 successful 8 overs.

Jamie Overton joined Curran and deed 2 sixes successful his 21 but it was Curran who stole nan show, clearing nan ropes six times and cracking 7 much fours, blazing past his profession champion of 72 and bringing up his period from nan 58th and last shot he faced.

North Group

Edgbaston: Birmingham Bears v Leicestershire Foxes

Derby: Derbyshire Falcons v Durham

Old Trafford: Lancashire Lightning v Northants Steelbacks

Headingley: Yorkshire Vikings v Notts Outlaws

South Group

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Somerset

Southampton: Hampshire Hawks v Essex

Canterbury: Kent Spitfires v Surrey

Hove: Sussex Sharks v Middlesex

All games commencement 19:00 BST