Alex Hales sinks Yorkshire to put Notts in T20 Blast QFs
Sussex clinch last quarter-final spot in South Group while Kent also win to confirm home last-eight tie
Sunday 19 August 2018 10:20, UK
Alex Hales hit an unbeaten 71 as Nottinghamshire Outlaws prevailed in their winner-takes-all Vitality Blast tussle against Yorkshire Vikings at Headingley.
SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED | NORTH GROUP TABLE
The defending champions had make heavy work of reaching the knockout stage, but Hales notched his first half-century in this year's tournament as Notts won by eight wickets.
Yorkshire, who would have qualified for the last eight themselves with a win, won the toss and elected to bat, but they suffered an early setback as Tom Kohler-Cadmore made just four before he was caught by Steven Mullaney off the bowling of Matthew Carter.
Adam Lyth put away bad balls on his way to 44 before Mullaney entered the attack and dismissed him with his first ball as a top edge was taken brilliantly by Tom Moores.
Kane Williamson knocked a quickfire 44 himself off 26 balls while captain David Willey top-scored with 51 as the Vikings set a chase of 164 from their 20 overs.
An inside edge from opener Riki Wessels (16) gave Yorkshire the breakthrough to the delight of the home supporters, but Jake Libby and Hales showed their class at the crease to put the Outlaws in a commanding position.
Moores (31 no) struck consecutive sixes off Willey to take the holders to victory in 19 overs.
Sussex Sharks will face Durham at the Riverside after they beat Middlesex to secure a quarter-final berth in a pulsating contest at Hove as captain Luke Wright (74) starred in their 31-run win. SCORECARD
Wright was ably assisted by Philip Salt (66), while Laurie Evans also notched 36 as the Sharks hit 215-5 from their 20 overs.
James Fuller took three wickets for Middlesex for 51 but their chase got off to a disastrous start after George Scott was bowled for a duck by Danny Briggs.
Paul Stirling (58) and John Simpson (62) put together a fine partnership but after Will Beer had dismissed both, Middlesex collapsed as they eventually fell well short.
Worcestershire Rapids will face Gloucestershire in the last eight after they snatched a home tie courtesy of Moeen Ali's century in their 15-run victory over Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston. SCORECARD
Captain Ali and Joseph Clarke put together an 80-run partnership before Clarke was clean bowled by Josh Poysden, but Ali then showed his nous alongside Ben Cox (27) to set a competitive 209-5.
In reply, Ian Bell and Ed Pollock (36) brought up a half-century partnership before the former was bowled by Wayne Parnell for 19. Adam Hose (45) and Pollock sought to up the tempo but Patrick Brown had other ideas as he removed the two danger men.
Colin de Grandhomme made 31 while captain Grant Elliott scored 29 before they both fell victims to Parnell as the Bears fell 15 runs short of their target.
In the South Group, Kent Spitfires won by five wickets against Essex Eagles at Chelmsford to secure a quarter-final home tie. SCORECARD
Adam Wheater top-scored for the Eagles in a fine opening partnership with Varun Chopra (37), hitting six fours and a maximum on his way to 40, as Essex set Kent 202 for victory.
The Spitfires made an emphatic start to their reply as Daniel Bell-Drummond crashed 80 off 51 balls while fellow opener Joseph Denly struck 45 before being caught off the bowling of Aron Nijjar.
After Ravi Bopara bowled Heino Kuhn for just six, captain Sam Billings (33) and Alex Blake (19) steadied matters, but Matt Coles took the wicket of Bell-Drummond in the final over with Kent still needing five runs.
In a frantic finale, Grant Stewart hit a boundary with a ball to spare as the visitors survived to book a home quarter-final against Lancashire Lightning at Canterbury.
Gloucestershire finished fourth with successive defeats as they lost by six wickets against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl to set up an away quarter-final against Worcestershire Rapids. SCORECARD
James Vince hit an unbeaten 48 while Rilee Rossouw struck 42 off 18 balls as the hosts chased down their target of 145 in 16.5 overs.
Elsewhere, Surrey - who were without Jason Roy after a self-inflicted facial injury he sustained against Hampshire on Wednesday - beat Glamorgan by 24 runs courtesy of DLS. SCORECARD
In a rain-affected match, the hosts batted first in Cardiff as David Lloyd (39) top-scored, and Christopher Cooke struck a quickfire 31 off 19 balls as they reached 183-8 from their 20 overs.
After a brief delay between innings, Aaron Finch and Rory Burns got Surrey off to a flyer with the Australian opener striking 44 off 16 balls before the rain began to fall and brought a premature end to proceedings with the visitors 60-0 after five overs.
Northamptonshire Steelbacks ended their T20 campaign on a high as they cruised to a four-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes despite a valiant effort from Harry Dearden (61). Graeme White hit an unbeaten 21 off nine balls to see the visitors to victory. SCORECARD
Durham Jets, who had already sealed a home quarter-final tie, had their match against Derbyshire Falcons abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled.
