Hampshire secure South Group top spot despite defeat to Somerset; Kent qualify in third
Wednesday 6 June 2018 22:13, UK
Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence smashed centuries to set Essex up for a home quarter-final in the Royal London One-Day Cup with a comfortable victory over Kent.
Bopara's 125 took 88 balls and included 11 fours and six sixes, while Lawrence, surpassing his previous highest List A score by 79 runs, finished on 115 from 109 balls with seven fours and three sixes as the hosts posted 337-7.
Kent had won five games in a row to qualify for the knockout stages, but defeat at Chelmsford enabled Essex to climb above them in the South Group on run-rate.
The visitors were always off the pace in their chase and suffered the ignominy of former player Matt Coles taking two key wickets, including Kent captain Sam Billings to the first ball he bowled.
Jamie Porter claimed four wickets for the second successive match as Essex wrapped up a 153-run win. SCORECARD
Peter Trego scored a classy century as Somerset beat Hampshire - but his efforts were in vain as his county narrowly missed out on reaching the knockout stages.
All-rounder Trego needed exactly 100 balls to collect his ninth List A ton and help the visitors to a three-wicket win at Southampton - but Somerset's route to the play-off was killed off by Essex's victory.
Despite the defeat, Hampshire confirmed their place at the top of the South Group and a home semi-final - with their opposition to be confirmed when the North Group concludes on Thursday.
James Vince (109), Tom Alsop (95) and Liam Dawson (76) all contributed as Hampshire set Somerset 357 to win but Trego's century and half-centuries from Johann Myburgh (71) and James Hildreth (56) - as well as a number of dropped catches - kept the visitors up with the rate before Craig Overton hit the winnings runs from the final ball. SCORECARD
Paul Stirling and Eoin Morgan struck centuries as Middlesex ended their One-Day Cup campaign with a 33-run victory over Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The visitors posted 322-3 after losing the toss, under clear blue skies, with Stirling batting through the innings for 127 not out, Morgan contributing exactly 100 and Hilton Cartwright a rapid 60 off 41 balls.
In reply, the hosts registered 289 all out, Ian Cockbain top-scoring with 106 not out and former Middlesex player Ryan Higgins making 65.
James Franklin claimed 3-42 against his old county, but results elsewhere meant it was too little too late for his side to reach the knockout stage from the South Group. SCORECARD
Will Jacks gave another glimpse of his immense potential as he struck a brilliant 80 from 57 balls as Surrey eased to a five-wicket win over Glamorgan.
Glamorgan batsman Connor Brown hit 98 in just his third List A appearance in the Welsh county's 266-8 but that never looked like it was going to be enough.
Jason Roy and 19-year-old Jacks plundered 77 from just 8.3 overs for the second wicket to take full advantage of the powerplay after Mark Stoneman (5) again fell cheaply in the opening over.
Rory Burns made a 69-ball 68 before Ollie Pope (31no) and Sam Curran (22no), in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 51, completed the win with 9.2 overs to spare as Surrey ended up on 269-5. SCORECARD
Watch the crucial Royal London One-Day Cup clash between Warwickshire and Worcestershire from 1.55pm, Thursday on Sky Sports Cricket.
