Somerset & Northants through to T20 Blast quarters
Northants won the T20 Blast in 2013 and 2016
- Published
Defending champions Somerset and two-time winners Northants sealed quarter-final places on a thrilling penultimate night of the T20 Blast group stage.
Surrey secured top spot in the South Group and a home quarter-final as Sam Curran smashed a maiden T20 century in their five-wicket win over Hampshire.
Somerset are in pole position for the other home quarter-final as they beat Sussex to leapfrog the Sharks into second while Gloucestershire will join them in the last-eight unless Essex avoid defeat at Hampshire on Friday.
Despite 93 from Sam Hain, Northants toppled North Group leaders Birmingham Bears to set-up a crucial finale with second-placed Lancashire at Old Trafford on Friday, with the winner getting home advantage in the quarter-finals.
After a thrilling final-ball win at Worcestershire Rapids, Derbyshire need to better Leicestershire’s result on the final day to reach the last eight.
At Wantage Road, Saif Zaib starred for Northants Steelbacks with a blistering 86 off 41 balls – clearing the rope six times and adding eight fours as he fell just six shy of a career-best score.
Lewis McManus clubbed 22 from 10 balls at the end, the hosts’ second highest score, as they posted 197-6.
Bears slumped to 11-3 in reply in the third over, with Moeen Ali going first ball to David Willey.
Jacob Bethell and Hain put on 92 from 9.4 overs before Bethell departed for a 31-ball 50, featuring four sixes.
Hain continued his onslaught but was caught behind off the final ball as they fell 11 runs short.
Derbyshire kept alive their hopes of a quarter-final place with a thrilling last-ball victory at New Road.
Opener Ed Pollock led the way for the Rapids with 67 from 47 balls after being put in, but Pat Brown claimed 4-23 plus a catch and a run-out against his former side as the hosts posted 169-8.
When Wayne Madsen went for 44 to leave the visitors 113-5 the game looked up, but another former Pear Ross Whitely (41 from 22 balls) and Alex Thomson (17 from 10) struck 60 from 26 balls, with Thomson hitting a four through mid-wicket off the final delivery from Tom Taylor to win it by five wickets.
Somerset, the 2023 winners, booked their place in the last eight with a perfectly measured chase against Sussex.
Ben Green claimed 4-17 as the Sharks were restricted to 158-9 after being put in at Taunton, opener Harrison Ward top-scoring with a quickfire 39.
A classy 42 from 20-year-old opener George Thomas set the tone as every Somerset player scored at a strike-rate of 100 or more, with Tom Abell guiding them home with 47 from 34 balls to seal a six-wicket win.
Gloucestershire kept alive their hopes of joining them in the quarter-finals as they beat Middlesex at Chelmsford, but will need Essex to lose their final game at Hampshire on Friday to ensure they make the top four.
Cameron Bancroft bludgeoned 87 from 54 balls with three sixes and 10 fours, but opening partner Miles Hammond (30 from 21) was the only other player to pass 15 as the visitors scored 179-8.
Middlesex made a blistering reply and looked favourites with Martin Andersson hitting 49 and putting on 102 for the opening wicket with skipper Leus du Plooy.
But they then lost seven wickets to slump to 157-7 and Du Plooy was stranded on 73 not out from 52 balls, with Middlesex falling 10 short of their target.
Meanwhile at The Oval, England all-rounder Curran completed a breathtaking maiden T20 century with a six off the final ball as Surrey beat Hampshire by five wickets.
Hampshire's Toby Albert made a breezy 66 – his maiden T20 half-century – but the visitors were bowled out for 183 with Jordan Clark picking up 3-24.
Surrey were on the ropes at 27-3 in the fifth over of their reply but Dom Sibley (27) supported Curran in a rapid stand of 86 in eight overs.
Jamie Overton joined Curran and hit two sixes in his 21 but it was Curran who stole the show, clearing the ropes six times and cracking seven more fours, blazing past his career best of 72 and bringing up his century from the 58th and final ball he faced.
Sam Curran made 102* from 58 balls - sealing victory and his maiden century with a six off James Fuller
Friday fixtures
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 start 19:00 BST