Summary

  • Kent Spitfires beat Birmingham Bears by 21 runs

  • Kent made 162-7 after Bears won toss and bowl

  • Half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Billings; Tim Bresnan took four wickets

  • Bears fall short as they are bowled out for 141; Matt Milnes takes 4-24

  • Kent join Sussex Sharks, Hampshire Hawks and Somerset at Finals Day

  • Hampshire v Somerset and Kent v Sussex in semi-finals at Edgbaston on Saturday, 18 September

  1. Birmingham 112-7published at 17 overs

    Need 51 runs from 18 deliveries

    After that six, Milne wins the rest of the over as Bresnan and Lintott can't do anything with the New Zealander's repertoire of 90mph yorkers as they can only scramble four more singles from five balls.

    We're getting close to miracle territory for the Bears.

  2. Postpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Ben Watts
    on BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra

    It was the slower ball from Adam Milne, but Tim Bresnan picked it.

  3. 6 runs

    Birmingham 107-7published at 16.1 overs

    Need 56 runs from 23 balls

    Right on cue, with Adam Milne back into the bowling, Bresnan uses his pace to smash him over midwicket for a maximum.

  4. Birmingham 101-7published at 16 overs

    Need 62 runs from 24 balls

    Just four from another superb over.

    The Bears are foxed by Milnes' combination of slower balls. Even when he bowls a full toss, Lintott can only get it away for a single.

    If Birmingham do it from here, this will involve some incredible hitting!

  5. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:35 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Tweet using #bbccricket

    James Gulleford: When are captains going to learn that winning the toss and blindly inserting the opposition is an awful tactic?!

    Bears the victims of their captain's own stupidity!

  6. Birmingham 97-7published at 15 overs

    Need 66 runs from 30 balls

    Lintott follows up his six with an excellent shot for four and he quickly moves up to 12 off four balls.

    Surely it's too little too late from the Bears?

  7. Postpublished at 21:33 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Matt Cole
    on BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra

    It's definitely been Jake Lintott's summer so far with the ball, but that's the shot of the night!

    Hadn't seen him bat before this evening and we might be in for something special on that evidence.

  8. 6 runs

    Birmingham 92-7published at 14.3 overs

    Need 71 runs from 33 balls

    Little time for Jake Lintott to get his eye in but he lofts Klaasen out of the ground for a glorious six off only his second ball.

  9. Postpublished at 21:29 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Alex Blake for a moment thought he'd messed that up.

    He came in too much to begin with and then stepped back to regather himself and get underneath it and even then when he had the ball in both hands, he must've felt it would spill out.

    A huge catch to get rid of Woakes who could've been a match-winner.

  10. wicket

    WICKET Woakes c Blake b Milnes 14published at 14 overs

    Birmingham 84-7 (Target 163)

    I think Kent can start booking their tickets to Edgbaston.

    With Milnes varying his pace well despite an earlier boundary from Bresnan, Woakes tries to launch him straight down the ground. He gets too much air on it and Blake, despite worrying he had misjudged it, hangs on at deep mid on.

  11. Postpublished at 21:25 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    This the challenge from Kent's perspective - the pace on the ball will appeal to Chris Woakes and Tim Bresnan.

    If Kent can nail their yorkers, it'll be key.

  12. Birmingham 75-6published at 13 overs

    Need 88 from 42 balls

    The Bears get a lucky break when Ahmad's leggie misses everything and goes for four.

    But they can't get another boundary off the over as Ahmad keeps it tight and very much keeps his team well on top.

  13. Birmingham 66-6published at 12 overs

    Need 97 runs from 48 balls

    Denly is brought back into the attack but Woakes responds with a very clever behind square for a welcome four.

    Ten from the over and it's exactly what the Bears needed.

  14. Birmingham 56-6published at 11 overs

    Need 107 runs from 54 balls

    Ahmad really has the Bears in a complete tangle as they can only manage one single from the next five deliveries.

    A huge rescue job on here for Chris Woakes and Tim Bresnan.

  15. Postpublished at 21:15 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Matt Cole
    on BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra

    You'd have to say it's firmly in the hands of Kent Spitfires now.

    Birmingham Bears will need something big to win it from here.

  16. wicket

    WICKET Burgess c Crawley b Ahmad 6published at 10.1

    Birmingham 55-6 (Target 163)

    From Ahmad's worst ball so far, he picks up a wicket.

    His full toss is sent by Burgess straight to Crawley out at deep mid-wicket. After a quick check to see if the ball is not over waist height, the Bears wicketkeeper is on his way back to the pavilion.

  17. Postpublished at 21:12 British Summer Time 27 August 2021

    Kevin Howells
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Yorkshire team-mates of years gone by - they'll be exchanging messages about that later for sure.

    Leaning with far from the most convincing delivery and Rhodes with an absolutely horrible shot misses it and is bowled.

    Incredible.

  18. wicket

    WICKET Rhodes b Leaning 3published at 9.4 overs

    Birmingham 53-5 (Target 163)

    When it's your night, it's your night!

    Leaning delivers a ball of such filth that it should be dispatched to the boundary. But instead of sending it for either a four or six, Rhodes looks on in disbelief as the ball hits his stump via the bottom edge of his bat.

  19. Birmingham 51-4published at 9 overs

    Target 163

    An appeal for a catch behind from Ahmad but the umpire is unimpressed.

    The Afghan races through a high-class over and is helped by a super piece of fielding from Klaasen to save a couple of runs.

    Birmingham going nowhere in a hurry at this rate.

  20. Birmingham 47-4published at 8 overs

    Target 163

    Three off Leaning's over. Plus a wicket. What a call from captain Billings.