Quarter-finalists almost confirmed after penultimate round of group fixtures
Somerset join Notts Outlaws and Kent Spitfires in quarter-finals after 74-run win against Glamorgan
Yorkshire also through after results go their way in North Group
Kent beat Middlesex by 78 runs at Lord's to book a home tie in last eight
Hampshire beat Essex and Sussex in home double-header to keep their hopes alive
James Vince scores 63 and 102 in both victories for Hampshire
North Group: Birmingham Bears beat Worcestershire Rapids, Lancashire beat Durham, Leicestershire beat Notts
South Group: Surrey beat Gloucestershire
Lancashire 45-0 v Durham (4.0 overs)
Ooof so nearly for Durham's Brydon Carse as he tricks Finn Allen with a short one.
The New Zealander top-edges his shot but the ball flies just over the inner-ring of fielders and races away to the boundary.
Leicestershire v Notts Outlaws 24-1 (3.3 overs)
Holders Notts Outlaws have already sealed their quarter-final spot, but there's still East Midlands bragging rights to play for at Grace Road tonight against Leicestershire.
Big-hitting Alex Hales departs for 15 off 10 balls as Colin Ackermann collects another T20 wicket with a catch from Arron Lilley at deep midwicket.
Birmingham Bears 7-2 v Worcestershire
Image source, Rex FeaturesNot the best start to a game you have to win.
Just 10 balls in to Birmingham's innings and two wickets down - bam, more bails akimbo as Dillon Pennington bowls Adam Hose for a duck.
Lancashire 25-0 v Durham (2.3 overs)
First four of the innings as Finn Allen strikes Netherlands international Paul van Meekeren back down the ground.
The very next ball; same result.
Good start to the over.
Somerset 20-0 v Glamorgan (2 overs)
Decent start for Somerset in south Wales.
If they keep this rate up, it will be a tough task for Glamorgan.
Devon Conway with a couple of boundaries already.
Middlesex v Kent 53-2 (5.1 overs)
A 12-ball cameo from the returning Zak Crawley comes to an end courtesy of a terrific catch on the boundary from Middlesex's Max Holden.
Crawley smashed a pull shot out off Blake Cullen to deep midwicket that looked destined for six, but Holden grabbed it, then sensed he was going to run over the rope, threw it in the air, regained his balance and then took it cleanly once back on the field.
Terrific skills as Kent lose their second wicket.
Birmingham Bears 5-1 v Worcestershire (0.4 overs)
Image source, Rex FeaturesBen Dwarshuis quickly exacts revenge for that boundary from Ed Pollock, beating him all ends up, bails and stumps flying everywhere at Edgbaston.
Plenty of drama - and this is only the first over.
Lancashire 7-0 v Durham (0.4 overs)
Fresh from his England heroics, Brydon Carse takes the new ball for Durham after Lancashire won the toss and chose to bat.
And batsman Finn Allen goes for a paddle shot which only just clears the keeper.
High risk, high reward.
Birmingham Bears 5-0 v Worcestershire (0.1 overs)
Birmingham Bears have opted to bat first in their must-win match against Worcestershire at Edgbaston.
The good news for the Bears is that West Indies fast bowler Carlos Brathwaite is back in the attack after a Covid isolation period.
Chris Woakes was bowling a few balls out on the pitch earlier - the England man is not playing tonight but is available for selection for the Bears' final group game on Sunday.
Five runs off the opening delivery for Birmingham - as a wide from Ben Dwarshuis is followed by a delicious drive from Ed Pollock.
And now we've just got going in our four 18:30 BST games.
Bring the noise!
Middlesex v Kent 15-1 (2 overs)
Really nice touch from Middlesex at Lord's this evening in what is their final Blast match this season at HQ.
They're donning a one-off red home shirt to help raise funds for the Ruth Strauss Foundation.
The wife of former Middlesex and England captain Andrew passed away in December 2018 from lung cancer.
"Red for Ruth" has been the Foundation's motto at a number of high-profile fundraising events since its creation.
Image source, BBC SportSurrey's win over Gloucestershire has moved them into the four qualification places but their race is run as that was their final game. They are now reliant on other results and will be cheering Glamorgan on against Somerset tonight.
Table-toppers Kent have already qualified while Sussex will seal a quarter-final spot with a win in either of their final two matches - and might go through even without one.
A defeat for Somerset tonight would make their game on Sunday with Gloucestershire - beaten today - a virtual eliminator.
Hampshire, who have already won one game today, must beat Sussex tonight and beat Glamorgan on Sunday to have a chance of progression while the bottom three are already all eliminated.
Image source, BBC SportThe table above should be treated only as a guide - because Derbyshire's Covid issues and subsequent cancellation of their final two games mean standings will be decided on a points per game basis.
That likely means the four qualifiers will come from the current top six.
Nottinghamshire, who visit bottom side Leicestershire tonight, are guaranteed a quarter-final spot but the other three berths are still to be decided.
Lancashire host Durham tonight and Yorkshire tomorrow in two games that will have a big say in which of those three sides qualify. Birmingham Bears, realistically, must win at Worcestershire tonight to keep themselves in the mix.
Middlesex v Kent 10-1 (0.5 overs)
One of Kent's trio of Scotland stand-ins for these last two group matches, George Munsey, has played a real cameo on his debut.
Gets off the mark with a reverse sweep for six, then the same shot for four before two balls later, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowls him trying to play it again.
Some introduction that!
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Middlesex v Kent Spitfires (18:15 BST)
A gorgeously-hot evening at Lord's in store where current South Group leaders Kent have won the toss and will bat first against Middlesex.
Kent, who were forced to name a new side on the eve of their County Championship match against Sussex this week due to Covid issues with the squad that played Surrey in the Blast last Friday, have brought in Scotland internationals Calum MacLeod, George Munsey and Safyan Sharif for the last two group matches to bolster their numbers.
Zak Crawley skippers an entirely new team from last Friday on his return from playing in England's "replacements" ODI team against Pakistan.
Middlesex meanwhile welcome Essex loanee Varun Chopra into their side to open the batting with another of those England stand-ins John Simpson also returning to keep wicket.
Middlesex: Chopra, Robson, Cracknell, Mitchell, Holden, Simpson (wk), Sowter, Helm, Cullen, Mujeeb, Finn (c).
Kent: Crawley (c), Munsey, Kuhn, Finch, MacLeod, Lincoln (wk), O'Riordan, Podmore, Hooper, Sharif, Quinn.
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Middlesex v Kent; Glamorgan v Somerset; Hampshire v Sussex
And it's top vs bottom in the South Group too as leaders and already-qualified Kent take on bottom side Middlesex.
Like Middlesex, Glamorgan are already unable to make the knockouts but they could seriously harm Somerset's chances of progression. Defeat for the Taunton outfit would mean they'd have to beat rivals Gloucestershire on Sunday to go through.
Elsewhere, Hampshire take on Sussex. Hampshire need to beat the Sharks tonight and defeat Glamorgan on Sunday to have any chance of making the quarter-finals.
Lancs v Durham; Leics v Notts; Birmingham v Worcs (all 18:30 BST)
Bottom faces top in the North Group as the already-qualified Notts face the unable-to-qualify Leicestershire in an East Midlands derby.
But the other two games in the group have far more at stake than just local pride.
There's those bragging rights too, of course, at Edgbaston but, more importantly, the matter of points as sixth-placed Birmingham Bears know only a win over Worcestershire will realistically keep them in with a chance of qualification.
There's also a potential eliminator at Emirates Old Trafford as the loser of Lancashire v Durham will face an uphill challenge to progress to the quarter-finals with just one game remaining after tonight.
Glos 177-9 lost to Surrey 178-3 by seven wickets
An 87 partnership between Jamie Smith (60) and Laurie Evans (58) kept Surrey's hopes of T20 Blast progression alive this afternoon as they rounded off their group stage campaign with victory over Gloucestershire.
They chased down Gloucestershire's 177-9 with 10 balls to spare in Cheltenham.
Glenn Phillips (48) earlier top-scored for the hosts as Gus Atkinson took 4-37 for Surrey.