Surrey remain on top of South Group after beating Middlesex in London derby
Birmingham Bears hit competition record 261-2 v Notts Outlaws, Sam Hain making 112 not out
Lancashire still lead North Group despite defeat by second-placed Northants Steelbacks
James Vince scores 100 as Hampshire Hawks beat 2021 winners Kent Spitfires
Essex Eagles defeat Sussex Sharks by 11 runs in high-scoring game at Chelmsford
Wins also for Yorkshire, Somerset and Leicestershire
Surrey 33-1
Dean Wilson
Mirror journalist on BBC Radio London
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?
Jason Behrendorff just took the pace off, a slower ball with the back of the hand.
Jamie Smith flicks it out to the leg side and doesn't get enough on it, picks out deep mid-wicket there - he hardly had to move.
Middlesex will be delighted to break up that opening partnership, which was starting to look quite dangerous.
Northants 32-0 (Target 154) v Lancs
Richard Gleeson back on his old stomping ground.
A couple of wides and a no ball later his opening over concedes 12.
The hosts not having to do much to get a great set.
Surrey 33-1 (target 156)
Ollie Pope looked in great nick at Trent Bridge, but that wasn't terribly convincing. He pokes hesitantly at his first ball from Jason Behrendorff and the ball runs away past the keeper off the edge for four.
#bbccricket
Notts Outlaws have made a stunning start in pursuit of their world record T20 run chase, racing to 34-0 after two overs, with Joe Clarke on 30 off nine balls.
Remember, Birmingham Bears posted a competition record 261-2 in their innings.
Elsewhere in the East Midlands, there hasn't been the same volume of runs but there is plenty of drama, with Leicestershire 24-2 after three overs in pursuit of 117 to beat Worcestershire.
Smith c Cracknell b Behrendorff 15 (Surrey 29-0 - target 156)
Stevie Eskinazi adjusts the Middlesex field and it pays off immediately as Jamie Smith hits Jason Behrendorff to deep mid-wicket. England's Ollie Pope is the new Surrey batter.
Northants 20-0 (Target 154) v Lancs
Emilio Gay gets the chase properly up and running with two fours from Steven Croft.
Northants know a good powerplay will be half the job here.
Surrey 23-0 (target 156)
Chris Green to bowl a bit of spin to Jamie Smith, who has an unorthodox technique with the bat grounded between his feet, rather than behind them.
The first delivery is short of a length and a thick edge runs away for four, but Smith makes a better contact two balls later as he gives himself room to cut it away.
With the fielders up, Smith uses his feet and eases the ball over cover for the third boundary of the over.
If Surrey continue like this, we'll be in for an early night.
#bbccricket
Yorkshire have also passed 200 this evening - but only just, eventually closing on 201-5 against Durham.
Leicestershire will be looking to wrap up victory over Worcestershire after restricting the Rapids to 116-9.
In the South Group, Gloucestershire need 185 to beat Somerset at Taunton after the hosts posted 184-6.
And in the two later games, Essex and Hampshire are both set to post big totals.
The Eagles are 153-4 after 15 overs against Sussex, while James Vince is 87 not out in Hampshire's 159-2 with three overs left.
Northants 7-0 (Target 154) v Lancs
Steady away for Josh Cobb and Emilio Gay.
Surrey 10-0 (target 156)
Australian Jason Behrendorff immediately finds bit of swing with the new white ball - but the length has to be perfect and when it isn't, Will Jacks flicks him away behind square for four.
He overpitches again with the next ball which Jacks lifts back over the bowler's head for another.
The final delivery is shorter and flies past the outside edge, but that's a good start by Surrey.
Surrey 0-0 (target 156)
The players are back out at the Kia Oval.
Will Jacks and Jamie Smith will open for Surrey, who have England's Ollie Pope in their line-up this evening.
Middlesex need wickets - and quickly!
Middlesex 155-8
Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London
Middlesex are probably 50 runs short we reckon here.
But you never know, if they have a good start with the ball...
It does feel a long way short of something they'd be happy with, let alone winning.
#bbccricket
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt's been a record-breaking night for Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast where they have posted the biggest total in the competition's history.
The Bears posted 261-2 against Notts Outlaws, with Sam Hain hitting an unbeaten 112 and Adam Hose 88.
They hit 18 sixes along the way, 10 of those from Hose.
The total beat the 260-4 for Yorkshire against Northants at Headingley in 2017.
The Bears' previous best was 242-2 against Derbyshire in 2015 when current England Test coach Brendon McCullum blasted 158 not out.
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Northants v Lancs 153-7
A superb performance from Northants in the field.
Dane Vilas and Tim David briefly blitzed for Lancashire but generally they went nowhere.
A modest chase waits for the hosts.
Northants v Lancs 147-7
Everything must go in the final six and Luke Wells misses.
Middlesex 155-8
Tom Helm carves Chris Jordan away square for four to boost the Middlesex total beyond 150. A quick single to the keeper allows Luke Hollman to face the final ball but he hits it straight to Will Jacks at long-on and is out for 31 from 27 balls - the top score in the Middlesex innings.
You'd have to fancy Surrey to do this, wouldn't you?
Northants v Lancs 147-6
Tom Taylor with the penultimate set and three singles to begin the over.
A wide, then a dot and only a single to round it out.
Still a chance for Lancashire to get up to 160 with a big final six.
Northants v Lancs 141-6
Luke Wells sends his first ball to the boundary but again no significant dsmage.
Only 12 more balls for the visitors.
Middlesex 148-7
Another great 'death' over by Dan Worrall. Just five from it - and no boundaries. Middlesex need some heavy scoring in the 20th.
Birmingham Bears 213-2 v Notts Outlaws
It's a first T20 century off 47 balls for Birmingham Bears' Sam Hain, including 10 fours and five sixes.
Notts Outlaws are going to have a big total to chase at Trent Bridge.
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