Essex beat Lancashire by six wickets in first T20 Blast quarter-final
Ravi Bopara's 39 off 18 balls features four sixes as Essex won with four balls to spare
Alex Davies had made unbeaten 80 off 55 balls as Lancashire scored 159-5
Essex through to Finals Day at Edgbaston on 21 September
Image source, PA MediaWell then - what a story from that first game.
Be sure to stay across BBC Sport later for the full report from Chester-le-Street and more highlights of the action.
We'll leave you with the man of the moment Ravi Bopara as Essex celebrate a return to Finals Day on 21 September.
Thanks for being with us.
Image source, Getty ImagesOne down, three to go.....
What a start to these quarter-finals and we'll be back on Thursday evening for our next instalment as Trent Bridge hosts Notts Outlaws against Middlesex.
Be sure to join us here on BBC Sport for live radio, text and in-play video highlights.
Liam Livingstone's penultimate over then cost 22 runs as Bopara struck consecutive sixes and Ryan ten Doeschate joined in to bring the scores level.
It was then left to Ravi to complete the win in style...
Ravi Bopara hit four sixes to win it for Essex and here's the first one, which only just made it over the line....
Here's how that Essex chase came to a stunning conclusion....
Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara speaking on Sky Sports:
"It's unbelievable and it's been a while since we reached Finals Day.
"There's still a long way to go, but it's a nice feeling to get there.
"When you're chasing 10-an-over you need to try and find as many boundaries as you can.
"It wasn't the best pitch to time the ball on and find the big shots, but when it comes off, it comes off."
So Ravi Bopara smashed four sixes off the last six balls he faced to take Essex from outside chances to a canter over the line.
What a moment for him and Essex and he is named man of the match.....
Lancashire captain Dane Vilas speaking on Sky Sports:
"You can look back on certain situations and say, we could've done that and done this.
"We made some calls at the death there and sadly they didn't pay off for us."
Essex captain Simon Harmer speaking on Sky Sports:
"That was tough at the start - especially losing two wickets in two balls ealry in the chase - but all's well that ends well.
"In hindsight it was the right call at the toss, but I was still wondering at halfway if I'd made the right decision.
"Stars have been aligning for us and results have gone our way and we've sneaked into Finals Day."
My word! What an incredible end to that game.
Let's try and recap that frantic finish for you....
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Essex 165-4 v Lancashire 159-5
And it's another six from Ravi Bopara to win it for Essex!
What a finish to this game and Essex are off to Finals Day at Edgbaston on 21 September.
Incredible stuff.
Essex 159-4
Wow!
It's almost over as Ryan ten Doeschate joins in for six of his own.
Scores level!
Essex 150-4
And he gets six more for Essex!
Just out of James Faulkner's reach on the line. Essex nearly there....
Essex 144-4
Huge hit from Ravi Bopara!
It's six over deep mid-wicket.
Liam Livingstone to bowl the penultimate over then - Essex need 23 to win....
Kate Cross
England seam bowler on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
I think he actually misjudged that, he made it hard work for himself, it could be a turning point in the match.
Need 23 more to win off 12 balls
One, one, one, one off the first four balls of Faulkner's over.
Bopara then finds more space in the deep on the legside for a couple and then.....
IT'S A SIX off the last ball of the over as he's almost caught on the rope by Steven Croft, but his spectacular effort just parries it over the line.
How massive a moment might that be?
More James Faulkner for Lancashire with ball in hand, but it's this bit of fielding which might win this quarter-final for his side....
Kate Cross
England seam bowler on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Essex are going to have to go for the boundaries.
Need 35 more to win off 18 balls
Ravi Bopara delivers a boundary when Essex need it with a straight hit from a Liam Livingstone full toss.
Ryan ten Doeschate fancies some of that as well as he pulls a lose ball away to the deep square rope.
11 off that over and it's still too close to call...