Paul Horton helps Lancashire beat Sussex in quarter-final

Horton's unbeaten 49 was crucial for Lancashire

Lancashire became the last team to book their place at FL t20 finals day with a 20-run win over Sussex at Hove.

Lancashire lost Stephen Moore to the second ball of the innings but Karl Brown (44) and Paul Horton (49 not out) helped them post 152-8 from 20 overs.

Sussex lost Lou Vincent and Ben Brown early, before Ed Joyce was run out.

Chris Nash (31) and Michael Yardy (24) threatened a recovery but both fell to Gary Keedy in quick succession as the hosts finished well short on 132-8.

The game looked in the balance at the halfway mark after the Brown-Horton stand set a platform for Lancashire before the lower order collapsed.

Spinner Monty Panesar, whose limited-overs value has been questioned since he lost his place in England's one-day side in 2007, was comfortably Sussex's best bowler.

The slow left-armer conceded only 15 runs in his four overs and also took the crucial wicket of Brown, who had smashed four sixes in his 44 from 31 balls, as the hosts put the brakes on in mid-innings.

South African seamer Wayne Parnell (2-26) also bowled well but Sussex were left to rue the injury suffered by experienced batsman Murray Goodwin, who split the webbing between his thumb and forefinger while fielding and batted down the order at number seven.

After losing their top order cheaply, Sussex's hopes rested with Nash and Yardy but both were snared by left-arm spinner Keedy within three balls as Nash was stumped and Yardy was caught behind attempting a reverse sweep.

It left Sussex needing an unlikely 64 from the last five overs, but Goodwin holed out in the deep, and the 28 needed from the final six balls proved beyond even the big-hitting Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who was bowled for 34 aiming a mighty heave at the first ball of the last over.

Lancashire will join Leicestershire, Somerset and Hampshire at finals day, which takes place at Edgbaston on Saturday, 27 August.