Recap the last round of NatWest T20 Blast group games when Worcestershire Rapids, Birmingham Bears and Glamorgan booked quarter-final places while Luke Wright made history with an unbelievable century.
By Dominic Farrell
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8.50pm - So there we have it, a magnificent group stage reaches a fittingly thrilling conclusion. Worcestershire Rapids and Glamorgan did their bit with victories to cement their quarter-final places, while Notts Outlaws produced some explosive hitting to sink Yorkshire and let Birmingham Bears into the last-eight at the White Roses’ expense.
Elsewhere, Luke Wright inked his name into the history books with one of the most remarkable innings you will ever see, anywhere, in any format.
Here’s your quarter-final line-up - we’ll see you next weekend for these mouthwatering clashes.
Lancashire Lightning v Glamorgan
Notts Outlaws v Hampshire
Essex Eagles v Birmingham Bears
Surrey v Worcestershire Rapids
8.40pm - RESULT! Somerset (183/3) beat Middlesex Panthers (161/7) by 22 runs at Taunton. Middlesex’s disappointing campaign ends on a familiar note as Nick Compton and Marcus Trescothick’s century stand proves the difference. Like Kent, Somerset’s race is also run on account of Glamorgan glory.
8.35pm - RESULT! Kent Spitfires (175/7) beat Surrey (154/7) by 21 runs at the Spitfire Ground. Surrey progress to a home quarter-final but with a few things to think about as Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kevin Pietersen and Gary Wilson all failed to kick them on to a victory despite being well set. Kent’s win was not enough to book a last eight place after Glamorgan thumped Gloucestershire.
8.33pm - RESULT! Durham Jets (199/5) beat Northants Steelbacks (195/3) by five wickets at the Emirates Durham ICG. Some more masterful blasting saw Durham to a brilliant comeback win. Calum McLeod’s 64 not out from 42 looks circumspect next to John Hastings’ 80 from 26. Unbelievable! The all-rounders put on 126 in 8.2 overs to turn this game on its head.
8.28pm - RESULT! Sussex Sharks (226/3) beat Essex Eagles (225/3) by seven wickets at the Essex County Ground. Those in attendance at Chelmsford tonight will forever say that they were there to see a Luke Wright masterclass. A scarcely believable 153 not out from 66 balls at the top of the order almost single-handedly secured an improbable victory. Spare a thought for Tom Westley, whose brilliant 109 not out becomes a sparkling footnote. Essex progress as South Group winners, safe in the knowledge they will not see Wright again on their bid for glory.
HISTORY! Records have tumbled on a frenetic night of #T20Blast. @SussexCCC's Luke Wright breaks the domestic high score record with 153no.
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) July 25, 2014
8.24pm - RESULT! Worcestershire Rapids (209/4) beat Derbyshire Falcons (181/7) by 28 runs at New Road. Worcestershire progress from the North Group in third place. Derbyshire made them sweat, retaining ambition throughout the chase, but a total made possible by Ross Whiteley’s brilliant 84 not out proved too tall an order.
8.17pm - RESULT! Birmingham Bears (160/6) beat Leicestershire Foxes (108) by 52 runs at Edgbaston to seal qualification from the NatWest T20 Blast North Group. Oliver Hannon-Dalby completed the rout for the Bears by removing Atif Sheikh with the final ball of the match. Victory for the hosts rarely looked in doubt as the Foxes’ top order failed badly, but there are sure to be one or two grateful text messages sent to their Trent Bridge counterparts.
8.15pm - RESULT! Notts Outlaws (201/4) beat Yorkshire Vikings (200/5) by six wickets at Headingley. Tim Bresnan opens the final over with a dot ball but Franklin finds the maximum once more to seal matters. Taylor leads his team off after a wonderful 35 from 14 deliveries that seals a home quarter-final. Improbably, after Finch and Jonny Bairstow’s earlier heroics, Yorkshire are out because…
8.12pm - SIX FROM TAYLOR! Notts need six from the last over and, with Birmingham on the brink of victory over Leicestershire, Yorkshire are staring at elimination.
SIX!! Serious hitting from Hastings who smashes one into the gym! 189-5, just seven needed from eight balls...
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) July 25, 2014
8.10pm - James Tredwell removes Pietersen for 32 and Rory Burns goes to Mitchell Claydon without scoring. Surrey are 125 for five, needed 51 from 22 balls to beat Kent.
This is starting to look like a captain’s knock from James Taylor. Three consecutive fours mean Notts need 12 from seven.
8.08pm - Century for Wright from 48 deliveries. Take a bow! Sussex need 56 from 32 balls and also have Matt Machan on 32 not out.
Notts need 25 to win from 11 after James Franklin announced himself with a brace of sixes.
WICKET! Knight caught Kohler-Cadmore off Shantry for 6. Derbyshire 165-7.
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) July 25, 2014
WICKET - Ireland ct Porterfield bowled Patel for 6. Foxes 92-9 off 16.4 #YouBears
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) July 25, 2014
8.03pm - Massive wicket at Headingley, Patel is unable to lift Rich Pyrah beyond Aaron Finch at long-on and Notts now need 39 from 17.
Madsen follows Hughes back to the pavilion and Derbyshire’s heroics might ultimately be in vain.
Calum McLeod and John Hastings have both thumped unbeaten fifties - the latter from just 19 balls - and Durham are arguably marginal favourites against Northants. They need 39 from the last three overs.
Wicket. Hughes goes for three bowled by Leach. Tom Knight the new man. Derbyshire 157-5 (16.2) #WORvDER
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 25, 2014
8pm - Talking of improbable run chases, Luke Wright is five runs away from a fourth career century in the sprint format and Sussex are 147 for three - needing 79 from 44 to beat Essex’s colossal 225 for three.
7.55pm - Derbyshire’s blistering run chase at New Road, combined with Leicestershire’s struggles at Edgbaston provides added intrigued as the North Group reaches its conclusion.
If Birmingham wrap up matters quickly, the big net run rate swing they need could come into play, provided the Falcons haul in the Rapids… Jack Shantry bowling Billy Godleman for 26 admittedly not helping their cause.
The equation is 54 from 25 balls with six wickets in hand. A tall order, but if Wayne Madsen can extend his 40 not out until the close Derby will be in the hunt.
Wicket! Dilshan c Claydon b Stevens 46. Surrey 95/2 (11.1 overs) #KENvSUR
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) July 25, 2014
7.50pm -RESULT! Glamorgan (110/2) beat Gloucestershire Gladiators (108/9) by eight wickets at the SWALEC Stadium to secure a NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final place. Jacques Rudolph and Murray Goodwin scored 44 and 41 respectively as Glamorgan cantered home with eight overs to spare. That’s the South Group wrapped up and the Welsh county will play Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday night for a place at finals day.
7.48pm - Tom Wells is run out without scoring and Leicestershire are 67 for six. Barring something utterly ridiculous, Birmingham will win that one. All eyes on Headingley, where Hales and Samit Patel have added 29 in 2.3 overs.
Notts need 70 from the last six overs…BUT THERE’S A HUGE WICKET! Hales top edges a pull off Bresnan and Rafiq does the rest to remove the England man for 67. Yorkshire needed that.
SIXES! Three sixes in the over, one to Madsen (20*) before Godleman (13*) hits successive sixes to kickstart his innings. Derbyshire 121-3
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 25, 2014
WICKET - Middx 71-5 in 11th. Christian c Overton (leading edge to long off) b Dockrell 5.
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) July 25, 2014
7.40pm - Riki Wessels goes for 29, caught by Alex Lees at deep midwicket off Rafiq. Hales then brings up his half-century and Notts are 106 for two after 12.
Wes Durston gets a top edge off Daryl Mitchell and is snaffled by McClenaghan to fall for 36. Derbyshire are 100 for three, ending 110 from the last eight overs.
Durham and Leicestershire are staring down the barrel and both five down.
7.37pm - Back-to-back sixes from Hales reignited the Outlaws’ charge.
Ben Harmison accounted for Steven Davies for 20 but Tillakaratne Dilshan has 30 from 16 deliveries for Surrey and now has Kevin Pietersen for company.
Huge over from Dirk Nannes - Eoin Morgan and Ryan Higgins fall in consecutive balls, both caught by Marcus Trescothick. Middlesex are 65 for four and facing another defeat.
Harry Finch is run out for Sussex, whose hopes appear to lie squarely with Luke Wright - he has 44 from 20.
Wicket. Great catch from the man on the straight boundary removes Cross for 34 from 16 balls. Derbyshire 77-2 (8.1) #WORvDER
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 25, 2014
WICKET!! @stevecrook25 takes the wicket of Stoneman (13) with an outstanding catch by @BenDuckett1 and @DurhamCricket are 43/3.
— Northants Cricket (@NorthantsCCC) July 25, 2014
7.28pm - More woe for Leicestershire as Niall O’Brien falls caught Clarke, bowled Recordo Gordon. That score of 27 for four is made all the more significant by the sight of Notts racing to 71 for one after eight overs at Headingley. If Yorkshire lose and Birmingham win, the White Rose are out.
They certainly didn’t need to see Azeem Rafiq drop a tough return chance offered up by Alex Hales, as he did moments ago.
WICKET - Middx 55-2. Malan c Trescothick b Nannes 34.
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) July 25, 2014
7.20pm - Youngster Craig Cachopa chops on off Graham Napier and 226 looks a long way away for Sussex as they wobble on 15 for two.
7.18pm - Mitchell McClenaghan may just regret getting Marcus North out at the start of Derbyshire’s fifth over. In came Gareth Cross and his former Lancashire team-mate plundered 15 from five balls to fly out of the blocks. The Falcons are 52 for one chasing 210.
WICKET - Redfearn lbw Hannon-Dalby for 0. Foxes 16-3 after 3.2 #YouBears
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) July 25, 2014
7.14pm - David Willey is also making things happen with the ball, removing Scott Borthwick and this looks a tall order for Durham as they wobble on 13 for two.
Tom Smith takes two wickets in an over to leave Glamorgan 29 for two, although the latter have much less to do.
Tim Bresnan bangs one in and Mullaney top edges a pull to Alex Lees at mid-on for 22. The Outlaws are 32 for one.
Middlesex are 39 for one after Tim Groenewald removes Joe Denly but Malan ploughs on.
Sussex skipper Chris Nash is bowled without scoring by David Masters in the fist over of the Sharks’ reply.
7.09pm - More early problems for the Foxes - Greg Smith is run out and it’s 10 for two.
Elsewhere, there’s a few flying starts. Dawid Malan has 25 from 10 balls and Middlesex are 30 for none after three overs; Derbyshire are 33 without loss after 3.3 and Notts have 31 after Steven Mullaney smokes Ryan Sidebottom for a pair of sixes.
WICKET!! @OllyStone2 takes the first wicket for the Steelbacks with @BenDuckett1 taking the catch behind the stumps. Mustard departs - 4/1.
— Northants Cricket (@NorthantsCCC) July 25, 2014
7.04pm - Rikki Clarke bowls Josh Cobb in the first over of Leicestershire’s reply.
6.50pm - As things stand at the halfway point in tonight’s matches, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and Glamorgan will also be very confident of sealing quarter-final places.
North Group
Yorkshire Vikings won the toss and scored 200 for five against Nottinghamshire Outlaws. Aaron Finch smashed 89 at the top of the order, while Jonny Bairstow was out for 60 off the final ball of the innings.
Birmingham Bears scored 160 for six having been asked to bat by Leicestershire Foxes. Captain Varun Chopra anchored the innings with an accomplished 72.
Worcestershire Rapids blasted their way to 208 for four after losing the toss versus Derbyshire Falcons. Ross Whiteley registered a sensational 84 not out off just 38 balls amid an unbeaten stand of 89 with Ben Cox.
Six from the last ball of the innings meant 52 not out for Adam Rossington and 195 for three for Northants Steelbacks against Durham Jets. David Willey and Richard Levi scored 43 an 41 respectively as the reigning champions look to bow out in style.
South Group
Gloucestershire Gladiators staggered to 108 for nine, making Glamorgan’s decision to field look particularly inspired. Graham Wagg, Michael Hogan an Jim Allenby took two wickets apiece and there were three run outs.
An opening stand of 105 between Nick Compton and Marcus Trescothick was central in Somerset reaching 183 for three having decided to bat first versus Middlesex.
Kent Spitfires posted 175 for seven after winning the toss against Surrey. Darren Stevens and Alex Blake scored 67 and 45 respectively, but two wickets fell in the final over and Azhar Mahmood finished with 3-43.
Essex Eagles thundered their way to a massive 225 for three after Sussex Sharks asked them to bat. Tom Westley struck an unbeaten 109 off just 58 balls after Jesse Ryder’s 75 at the top of the order.
AND WESTLEY BRINGS UP HIS 100 WITH ANOTHER 6 INTO THE EAGLES AREA! HIS SECOND 100 OF THE SEASON COMES OFF JUST 56 BALLS! #EssvSus
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 25, 2014
6.41pm - Michael Hogan made it two wickets in as many balls to return superb figures of 2-15 for Glamorgan. Tom Smith is then run out, meaning Gloucestershire are 100 for nine in the last.
Stevens goes to Azhar Mahmood for 67 but Blake booms his first six and Kent are racing towards the finish.
6.40pm - Varun Chopra is out for a magnificent 72 and Birmingham have nine balls to improve on 137 for five.
WICKET!! Taylor out for 15 c Cooke b Hogan. Gloucs now 97-7
— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) July 25, 2014
52 off 27 balls for Bairstow. 173-4 after 17. Some knock too!
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) July 25, 2014
6.34pm - Darren Stevens has 55 to his name for Kent and the stand for the fifth wicket is 77 alongside Alex Blake. The latter has 33 and the Spitfires are 142 for four.
6.30pm - Read holds a steepler to account for Andrew Gale but Jonny Bairstow is motoring for Yorkshire on 38.
Laurie Evans is out chasing an ambitious second run and Warwickshire are 121 for four.
Ryder’s fun ends on 75 at the hands of Sussex captain Chris Nash, while Patel has a third as Joe Denly holds Colin Ingram for 21 at deep midwicket.
6.37pm - Kyle Coetzer is out, caught in the deep off Scott Borthwick, and Northants are 128 for five.
Fielding elsewhere leaves something to be desired as Ryder is dropped at point and Steven Mullaney slings four overthrows Yorkshire’s way.
6.24pm - Gloucestershire compound their woes with a run out. Adam Rouse is the man back in the shed and they have five overs left to somehow turn 74 for six into something competitive.
Wicket - Clarke ct Boyce bowled Sheikh for 9. Bears 103-3 off 14.4 #YouBears
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) July 25, 2014
6.21pm - A wonderful catch tumbling to his left from Chris Read sees Finch strangled down the leg side for 89 off James Franklin. The big Aussie ends his Yorkshire stint with a standing ovation. Has he just given them a giant push towards the quarters?
6.19pm - Ravi Patel’s memorable week continues. Middlesex’s England Lions spinner gets rid of Compton and Trescothick in the same set of six. The Panthers need plenty more where that came from.
Graham Onions ensured Levi came up nine short of his fifty. Northants are 116 for two.
6.15pm - Tom Kohler-Cadmore falls for 22 to Wes Durston but Worcestershire are primed to race towards the finish line. They have 124 for four with seven overs to play with.
Finch continues to thump Notts all over Headingley. The opener’s latest, shuddering maximum takes him to 85.
6.12pm - Compton is the night’s latest half-centurion and he and Trescothick are still going on 104 after 12 overs. Somerset look set for something absolutely massive.
WICKET: Allenby gets the wicket - another catch by Wally to leave Gloucs on 50/5 #GoGlam
— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) July 25, 2014
6.08pm - Scott Styris gets Jonathon Webb stumped and the Bears are 74 for two into the second half of their innings.
Styris’ compatriot Jesse Ryder bludgeons his way to 50 from 21 balls and Essex are 79 for one - scoring at almost 12-per-over.
6.06pm - Sensational from Finch. Four sixes, three fours and 27 balls are his vital statistics on bringing up a typically brutal half-century. His latest maximum flew majestically into the Football Stand end over the bowler’s head. Remarkable hitting by the Aussie.
WICKET! Willey is caught at long on by @JetJennings off the bowling of @Borthwick16 for 43. Steelbacks are 83-1 after 8.4 overs.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) July 25, 2014
6.01pm - Worcestershire are 80 for three in the ninth over, with Marcus North having bowled Colin Munro. The Falcons will hope that wicket finally checks their hosts’ moment.
Gloucestershire lose Alex Gidman to a run out and are 40 for three against Glamorgan… make that four down!
Jim Allenby accounts for Hamish Marshall and the Welsh county can feel the quarters edging closer.
Wicket - Porterfield bowled Naik for 28. bears 50-1 after 6.4 #YouBears
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) July 25, 2014
5.55pm - Birmingham and Somerset join Northants in bringing up 50 for the first wicket. Nick Compton has raced to 32 from 19 balls for the latter, while opening partner Marcus Trescothick just laced back-to-back fours off Dan Christian.
Kent 39-3 in the 6th over..Bell-Drummond c Davies b Dilshan 17
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 25, 2014
5.51pm - Northants’ campaign as defending champions ends tonight. David Willey and Richard Levi have blasted their way to a fifty-partnership at the top of the order as they look to go out in style.
Lees’ fun is over as Ball wins a second lbw verdict.
5.48pm - Greg Cork dismisses Richard Oliver in an economical opening over and the big wicket comes for Derbyshire in the next set of six. Wayne Madsen holds the catch to remove opposite number Mitchell for 36 off 18 balls. Ben Cotton is the bowler celebrating as Worcestershire slip to 49 for two after five.
Alex Lees is the new batsman for Yorkshire and, with 14 from six balls, he’s making a good fist of matching Finch blow for blow.
5.46pm - Tillakaratne Dilsham has Sam Northeast stumped and, at 28 for two, Kent’s slim quarter-final hopes don’t look in great health.
5.44pm - Jake Ball is into the Outlaws attack and pins Kane Williamson going across his stumps. Yorkshire now 33 for one.
Pettini tries to push a quick single into the covers, but some sharp fielding sees him run out for 2. Essex 2/1 in the first over. #EssvSus
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 25, 2014
5.41pm - Yorkshire are 27 without loss after three overs. Ominously for Notts, Aaron Finch has 24 of those from nine balls.
Essex are batting first, with Sussex having successfully plotted their path to Chelmsford!
5.37pm - Two wickets in an over for Wagg as Chris Dent departs without scoring! If they carry on like this, Glamorgan will book the last quarter-final place on offer in the South Group.
Kent 18-1 in the 2nd over..Key c Davies b Mamood 14
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 25, 2014
5.33pm - Rapids by name, rapid by nature. Worcestershire are the quickest side out of the blocks, with skipper Daryl Mitchell cracking three fours from his first six deliveries.
Graham Wagg clatters one into Michael Klinger’s timbers and Glamorgan have an early breakthrough.
5.30pm - Teams are out across the country. Fasten your seatbelts, hold on to your hats, etc etc…
The Steelbacks have won the toss and will bat first here against @DurhamCricket. Team news to follow. pic.twitter.com/QUj0RgXunM
— Northants Cricket (@NorthantsCCC) July 25, 2014
5.11pm - The game between Essex and Sussex has no bearing on the qualification places in the South Group, which is possibly just as well as traffic issues have delayed the start by half an hour.
5.05pm - Some toss news from the North Group - Leicestershire and Derbyshire asked Birmingham and Worcestershire to post totals, while Yorkshire have elected to.
Like Kent, Somerset opted to have a bat down south, while Glamorgan decided to field first.
Wilson and Key out in middle for toss - Kent win toss and bat pic.twitter.com/Plbsye6fPD
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 25, 2014
4.58pm - In the South Group, Essex are through and will be sure of top spot if Surrey fail to beat Kent. The Spitfires retain hopes of joining those two and Hampshire in the quarter-finals but must win their game and hope fourth-place Glamorgan are beaten by second-bottom Gloucestershire.
Even then, matters could be complicated if fifth-place Somerset win against Middlesex, who have lost 10 of their 13 matches in the competition. Put simply, Glamorgan are through with a win. If they lose, a fair bit get thrown up in the air.
4.50pm - Lancashire Lightning secured top spot in the North Group with victory over Durham last night. Nottinghamshire will join them in the quarter-finals and can only be denied a home tie if they lose to Yorkshire and Worcestershire beat Derbyshire amid a significant net run rate swing.
Wins for the Rapids and the Vikings will seal their last-eight spots but the Birmingham Bears can capitalise on any slip-ups with victory over Leicestershire Foxes, although Worcestershire’s net run rate advantage should see them safe in any case.
4.40pm - Here are this evening's runners and riders:
North Group
Birmingham Bears v Leicestershire Foxes
Worcestershire Rapids v Derbyshire Falcons
Yorkshire Vikings v Notts Outlaws
Durham Jets v Northants Steelbacks
South Group
Kent Spitfires v Surrey
Glamorgan v Gloucestershire Gladiators
Somerset v Middlesex Panthers
Essex v Sussex Sharks
4.35pm - Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this evening's closing round of NatWest T20 Blast group fixtures.
There are four games apiece in the North and South Groups, with three remaining places in the quarter-finals yet to be decided.