Summary

  • 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)

Live Reporting

Ged Scott and Alex Winter

  1. Scott Read
    BBC Radio Lancashire commentator

    Excellent comeback by Sams, having gone for 19 from his first over.

  2. Lancs 61-1 (6 overs) - target 162

    Excellent from Daniel Sams in the final over of the powerplay.

    Plenty of change ups and concedes just three.

    This will still take some dragging back from Essex.

    Required rate is down to 7.2.

  3. Lancs 58-1 (5 overs) - target 162

    Sam Cook(e) is back.

    Jazz. Nice.

    But not for Essex.

    Steven Croft is looking downtown again and hoists one over mid-on, fielder running back to the fence can't get there in time.

    Cook then loses his line and gets helped for four past short-fine leg.

    Then a shorter ball - and Croft pulls into the building site over square leg.

    Ooooohhhhhhhhh, Lancy Lancy...

  4. Lancs 44-1 (4 overs) - target 162

    Steven CroftPA Media

    Steven Croft seeing it very well here.

    Gives himself a fraction of room outside off and cuts the first ball hard for four.

    Then lifts a straight drive over the bowler's head for three.

    Phil Salt takes the cue and strikes an even better drive down the ground for four.

    Punchy.

  5. Get Involved

    Tweet us at #bbccricket

    From Loser92: "#bbccricket - Essex need to do something about that Steven Croft."

    He's looking very dangerous.

  6. Paul Horton
    Former Lancashire batsman on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's a brilliant over - 19 is huge at any stage, but especially in the powerplay. The innings has momentum now. It's all set up for Lancashire.

  7. Lancs 31-1 (3 overs) - target 162

    Ooo hello, first ball of the over from Daniel Sams and Steven Croft clears the front leg and whacks it over the bowler's head into the dressing rooms.

    Second ball, another swing flies away off a wild outside edge over third man for six more!

    Phil Salt then adds a pull to the square leg fence and 19 are from the over.

    The chase now well underway.

  8. Lancs 12-1 (2 overs) - target 162

    Steven Croft goes up and over extra-cover to find the fence.

    Otherwise another quiet over.

  9. Lancs 6-1 (1 over) - target 162

    An excellent first over for Essex.

  10. wicket

    WICKET run out (Cook) 0

    Lancs 6-1 (0.5 overs) - target 162

    Oh carnage!

    Phil Salt drives back up the wicket, Sam Cook gets a fingertip to it, the ball cannons the stumps and Keaton Jennings is miles short of his ground!

    A desperate way to go. What a bonus for Essex.

  11. Chase underway

    Phil Salt and Keaton Jennings out to open for Lancashire.

    Sam Cook with the new ball for Essex.

  12. The fourth quarter-final takes place tomorrow night from 19:00 BST with Somerset taking on Derbyshire. Head coach Mickey Arthur has been telling the Falcons they need to 'dare to dream'.

    For Bazball, read Dreamball.

    Derbyshire daring to dream of T20 glory - Arthur

    Head coach Mickey Arthur says Derbyshire are "daring to dream" of a maiden T20 Blast title as they prepare for their quarter-final.

    Read More

  13. Paul Horton
    Former Lancashire batsman

    Essex will be comfortable with that total. Maybe slightly above par. But Lancashire will be happy because they haven’t been blown away.

  14. 6 runs

    Essex innings comes to an end

    Essex 161-5 (20 overs) v Lancs

    Useful stand at the end of 49 from Paul Walter and Dan Sams.

    Another six over midwicket from Sams as he finishes on 24, with Walter on 35.

    But is it enough?

    Lancs have not lost a T20 game here at Old Trafford in two years. And, even without Liam Livingstone and Jos Buttler, they should still fancy this.

  15. Paul Horton
    Former Lancashire batsman

    Luke Wood has been very good tonight with no Richard Gleeson.

  16. 6 runs

    Essex 148-5 (19 overs) v Lancs

    Paul WalterPA Media

    Paul Walter spots Luke Wood's attempted yorker and swats him over long on for six

    But Wood rallies. Only 13 off the over in the end - and he'd probably have settled for that at this stage.

    Good effort from Wood. 2-28 off his four overs.

    Danny Lamb to bowl the last six balls.

  17. 6 runs

    Essex 135-5 (18 overs) v Lancs

    First six for Dan Sams over wide mid on - but only 10 off Luke Wells' last over.

    1-34 from his four overs.

    Luke Wood to send down the penultimate over.

  18. Essex 125-5 (17 overs) v Lancs

    Better over for Essex. 10 off it.

    Tom Hartley ends with 1-42 from his four.

    Luke Wells to bowl the 18th over.

  19. Paul Horton
    Former Lancashire batsman

    162 was almost a winning score here the other night - this is the same wicket so I think 150 is competitive.

  20. Essex 115-5 (16 overs) v Lancs

    An LBW shout for Tom Bailey turned down but the main thing is that it's an economical over - just three off it.

    Four overs for just 28 is a great return by the paceman on only his fourth T20 start of 2022.

    Work for Essex to do here. Now Tom Hartley to bowl his last one.