Sunday 20 August 2017 11:06, UK
Leicestershire claimed a thrilling two-run victory over North Group winners Nottinghamshire to seal a place in the NatWest T20 Blast quarter-finals.
Opener Cameron Delport hit a brilliant 109 not out from 59 balls, an innings that included nine fours and six sixes, as they set Notts 204 to win at Trent Bridge.
The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals in their chase but an incredible 73 from 32 balls from Dan Christian kept them in the hunt.
Mathew Pillans (3-24) held his nerve in the final over though to bowl Leicestershire to a nail-biting win.
Imran Tahir took 4-17 as Derbyshire also booked their place in the quarter-finals with a comfortable 48-run victory over Worcestershire.
The Falcons were struggling at 78-5 in the 12th over of their innings but a half-century from Wayne Madsen (55 from 42 balls) helped them up to 146-8.
Worcestershire would have backed themselves to chase it down but they lost Joe Leach two balls into their innings and never recovered, eventually being bowled out for 98.
And Birmingham Bears will complete the North Group contingent in the last eight after surviving a dramatic collapse late in their innings to beat Lancashire by two wickets.
Jos Buttler (58 from 42 balls) top-scored for Lancashire at Old Trafford and Liam Livingstone chipped in with 39 from 28 balls as the hosts posted 163-4.
The Bears looked to be coasting to victory after a blistering 49 from 24 balls from Ed Pollock at the top of the order, a half-century from Dominic Sibley (53 from 38 balls) and Adam Hose's 49 from 35 balls.
However, they slipped from 145-1 in the 16th over to 160-8 with six balls remaining before Olly Stone smashed a six to get them over the line with three balls to spare.
Defending champions Northamptonshire Steelbacks are out after their game at Durham was abandoned due to rain.
The hosts had made 208-3 from their allotted overs, Graham Clark hitting 71 from 37 balls, before the rain came down.
Results elsewhere meant that even a win would not have been enough to see the Steelbacks progress.
In the South Group, Surrey set up a home quarter-final against Birmingham with a 10-run triumph over Kent at Canterbury.
Both sides knew a win would see them through and Surrey had Jason Roy (78 from 43 balls) to thank for getting them up to 154-9.
Kent stayed up with the required rate for much of the innings, despite losing wickets, and were still in with a chance going into the last over needing 15 to win.
However, three wickets in four balls for Rikki Clarke (4-16) ended their hopes and send Surrey into the quarters.
Elsewhere, Somerset thrashed Hampshire to secure a top-four spot, winning by 98 runs at the Ageas Bowl.
Having lost both openers early on, Peter Trego's unbeaten 84 from 50 balls plus a rapid fifty from Johann Myburgh (58 from 29 balls) enabled them to post 189-3 from their 20 overs.
Hampshire, who had qualified for the last eight, faltered from the off in their chase and were bowled out for just 91, Tom Alsop (36) and No 10 Chris Wood (13no) the only batsmen to reach double figures as Craig Overton (3-17) and Roelof van der Merwe (3-13) did the majority of the damage.
That result eliminated Sussex, despite the Sharks recording a comprehensive 55-run win over Essex at Hove.
Chris Nash made 73 from 55 balls and Laurie Evans added an unbeaten 47 from 34 balls in the final few overs as Sussex closed on 172-4.
Essex slumped to 117 all out in reply, Will Beer (3-36) taking three wickets and Chris Jordan (2-8), David Wiese (2-16) and Danny Briggs (2-12) all claiming two.
Glamorgan were already safely through prior to their game with Middlesex in Cardiff and finished top of the South Group after a seven-wicket win.
Rain saw the match reduced to 14 overs per side and Middlesex stuttered to 99-8 from their overs, Adam Voges (58no from 30 balls) scoring the bulk of their runs.
Glamorgan eased home with an over to spare, Jacques Rudolph (22no) and Chris Cooke (25no) getting them across the line.
Tuesday: Derbyshire v Hampshire
Wednesday: Glamorgan v Leicestershire
Thursday: Notts v Somerset
Friday: Surrey v Birmingham
