One-Day Cup: Essex beat Kent as both qualify for quarter-finals

Ravi Bopara's 125 from 88 balls contained six sixes and 11 fours

Essex secured a One-Day Cup quarter-final place with a 153-run victory over Kent, who had already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition.

Essex will have a home tie, having confirmed second spot in the South Group with their win at Chelmsford.

Dan Lawrence (115) struck his first List A century and shared a fourth-wicket stand of 187 with in-form Ravi Bopara (125) as Essex posted 337-7.

Kent, chasing a sixth successive One-Day Cup win, were all out for 184.

Jamie Porter (4-37) and Sam Cook bowled tightly early on to build pressure on Kent, for whom Sean Dickson top-scored with 51, and they never looked like reaching their target.

The visitors still had direct progression to the semi-finals in their sights before their last group game, but they will now need to win away against the team that finishes second in the North Group if they are to make the last four.

Essex batting prospect Lawrence has excelled in four-day cricket since his first-class debut in 2015, averaging more than 40, but the 20-year-old had a highest score of only 36 in his previous 15 List A innings.

Ex-England all-rounder Bopara, meanwhile, added a first century to four earlier fifties in this season's group stage.

He hit 11 fours and six sixes, leading the home side's acceleration late on as they added 118 runs in their final nine overs.