Essex make 161-5 after choosing to bat first at Old Trafford
Michael Pepper makes 36 off 28 balls and Paul Walter ends 34 not out
Lancashire reach 162-3 in reply, with 4.2 overs to spare
Steven Croft hits 76 not out off 48 balls and Dane Villas makes 51
Lancashire, winners in 2015, reach Finals Day for joint record ninth time
They will play Yorkshire in semi-finals at Edgbaston on 16 July
Somerset v Derbyshire in fourth-quarter-final on Saturday (19:00)
Image source, PA MediaThat's all from Old Trafford.
Lancashire set up a mouthwatering semi-final against their old foes Yorkshire next Saturday afternoon.
Hampshire will open the day at Edgbaston - against Somerset or Derbyshire.
That final rubber of the last eight comes up tomorrow at 19:00 so please join us then.
Lancashire beat Essex by seven wickets
Essex captain Simon Harmer told Sky Sports:
"We thought 160 was par but it was two superb knocks to beat us.
"They were a lot smarter with the ball, especially their slower balls, and we let them access the shorter boundaries.
"We also lost wickets at the wrong time but overall we were beaten by the better team."
Lancashire beat Essex by seven wickets
Lancashire captain Dane Vilas told Sky Sports:
"Crofty played an unbelievable knock there to put them under pressure and he made it very easy for us.
"He works hard and is very calm in those pressure situations.
"He's played so many years and knows what to do in those pressure situations."
Lancashire beat Essex by seven wickets
What a cakewalk that was.
Consensus was that Essex were in the game with 161 on the board.
But after the second over, Lancashire totally dominated.
Steven Croft was outstanding with an unbeaten 76 in 48 balls.
Dane Vilas was a great accomplice with 51 in just 23.
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Lancashire 162-3 v Essex 161-5
Lancashire haven't needed Tim David in this chase.
He taps one back before a wide.
And then a sweet cover drive beats the cover sweeper for the winning boundary!
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Lancs 157-3 (15.2 overs) - target 162
Dane Vilas struck on the hand by a throw from the deep.
Maybe it saps a bit of his power as his sweeps hard but only finds deep square leg running in.
Paul Horton
Former Lancashire batsman on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Quote MessageA Lancashire win will set up a Roses clash on Finals Day - that's going to be a brilliant spectacle.
Lancs 155-2 (15 overs) - target 162
A drag down from Matt Critchley is pulled hard for six over deep midwicket.
Then a slashing edge runs away to The Point for three.
The crowd in full voice, their side almost there.
Lancs 141-2 (14 overs) - target 162
Image source, Rex FeaturesContent to work Simon Harmer around here.
Dane Vilas gives himself a little room to cut wide of deep cover for two.
A better set for Essex but nothing they can do from here.
Lancs 134-2 (13 overs) - target 162
Matt Critchley back.
And Dane Vilas eyes up a JCB in the building site and finds him with a slog sweep for six.
Steven Croft then follows him - but flat and hard and searing over deep midwicket for six more.
A pull just past short-fine leg rolls away to the hotel for four more.
And a drive for two raises 20 from the over.
Goodnight Charlie.
Tweet us at #bbccricket
The debate continues about that catch which removed Phil Salt.
From Ed: "#bbccricket, external looks like Essex fielder touched the toblerone. It just didn’t move. Understand the decision despite disagreeing"
From Iain: "Not sure that’s “outstanding fielding” #bbccricket, external, it was a simple catch and only so much credit available for digging yourself out of a hole of your own making"
Lancs 114-2 (12 overs) - target 162
Aaron Beard with a second over.
Five off four balls.
But then back of a length and Dane Vilas slaps it back past the bowler for four.
No stopping Lancs here.
Lancs 104-2 (11 overs) - target 162
Image source, PA MediaDane Vilas is down on one knee again and slog sweeps straight through the boards in front of the building site.
Fierce strike.
Steven Croft gets back on strike and pulls hard and finds the gap wide of midwicket and long-on.
He launches leg side again but doesn't get hold of it...but it was too weak to find deep midwicket.
This is a stroll for Lancashire.
Lancs 90-2 (10.1 overs) - target 162
Bumper first ball from Ben Allison.
Steven Croft goes to pull and wears one in the grille.
Ouch.
Lancs 90-2 (10 overs) - target 162
Dane Vilas is the new man and gets down to reverse sweep quite a flat delivery from Simon Harmer past short-third man for four.
Makes it another decent over for Lancs.
Home side very well placed at halfway.
Lancs 81-2 (9 overs) - target 162
A badly-needed wicket for Essex.
Can they now apply some pressure?
Asking rate only 7.3 still.
Lancs 79-2 (8.5 overs) - target 162
Image source, PA MediaOh my this could be special work in the deep !
Phil Salt has slog swept to deep midwicket, the catch is taken but Michael Pepper is falling over the sponge.
He dances, falls, jumps and throws back in field.
And the catch is completed by Ben Allison.
Absolutely outstanding fielding.
There's a long check by the third umpire but no obvious footage that Pepper nudged the sponge.
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Lancs 77-1 (8.2 overs) - target 162
Image source, Rex FeaturesThis is a superb half-century from Steven Croft.
32 balls, four fours and three sixes.
A fourth of this season's Blast.
Lancs 75-1 (8 overs) - target 162
Simon Harmer, can he turn this around for Essex?
It's a decent set with six from but at the moment Lancs don't need to take any chances.
Roll it around for a while and tick um off.
Lancs 69-1 (7 overs) - target 162
Matt Critchley with some leggers.
Steven Croft crunches him down the ground and a wonderful one-handed save a long-off saves four.
Then a sweep and a miss and a stumping appeal but foot was grounded.
Critch then loses his line and gets pulled backward of square for four. Poor ball.