Somerset, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Sussex still in running for play-off places ahead of final group games
Monday 6 May 2019 09:17, UK
Hampshire wrapped up top spot in the South Group of the Royal London One-Day Cup with a seven-wicket win over Somerset at Taunton.
Defending champions Hampshire - who have won seven of their eight group games, losing only to Essex, have secured a home semi-final next Sunday. Somerset vs Hampshire scorecard
Sam Northeast's side bowled third-placed Somerset out for 216, with seamer Kyle Abbott taking 3-36 and spinners Liam Dawson and Mason Crane bagging 2-41 and 2-49 respectively.
Northeast, deputising as Hampshire captain with James Vince playing for England against Pakistan, then scored an unbeaten 51 as his team reached their target with 111 balls to spare.
Aiden Markram (61) and Aneurin Donald (51) also scored half-centuries - Markram passing fifty for the third straight game
Somerset have now lost three games in succession after winning their first four and may now need to beat Surrey on Tuesday to stand a chance of making the play-offs.
Middlesex moved second in the South Group by dint of a five-wicket win over Glamorgan and will now cement a play-off place if they beat Kent at Canterbury. Middlesex vs Glamorgan scorecard
Nathan Sowter claimed four wickets and Toby Roland-Jones three as Middlesex bowled out Glamorgan for 285 at Lord's on Sunday, before Nick Gubbins (92), Sam Robson (79) and Stevie Eskinazi (71) saw the hosts to their target with more than two overs to spare.
Gloucestershire boosted their play-off hopes with a thumping 116-run win over Sussex at Hove - the West County outfit are level on eight points with Somerset and Sussex but sandwiched between them on net run-rate.
Gloucestershire posted 335-6, with Miles Hammond (95), Gareth Roderick (53) and Jack Taylor (69 off 26) impressing, Taylor crunching eight sixes in his blistering cameo.
Fifth-placed Sussex were subsequently skittled for 219 with Matt Taylor and Benny Howell taking three wickets apiece. Sussex vs Gloucs scorecard
Elsewhere, Kent - beaten by Hampshire in last year's final - picked up just their second win of the campaign as Daniel Bell-Drummond and Zak Crawley batted them to a six-wicket victory over Essex at Beckenham.
Bell-Drummond (120 no) and Crawley (94) shared an opening stand of 188 as Kent trumped Essex's 271-9 in 46.3 overs to leapfrog their opponents in the table. Kent vs Essex scorecard
Alastair Cook (53) and Tom Westley (58) earlier carded half-centuries for Essex, who are now ahead of only rock-bottom Surrey in the standings.
Watch Derbyshire vs Worcestershire live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.55am on Monday, with Sussex's game at home to Glamorgan live on the same channel from 10.55pm on Tuesday.
