MEN'S T20 BLAST ROUNDUP: There were also wins for Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Surrey and Kent as the competition's qualification picture became clearer
New Road: Leicestershire 173-6, Worcestershire 176-4 - Worcestershire Rapids won by six wickets
Worcestershire Rapids delivered a complete performance with bat and ball to secure an impressive six-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at New Road, keeping their quarter-final hopes alive heading into the final round of fixtures.
Chasing a target of 174, the Rapids timed their pursuit to perfection, anchored by a stunning, unbeaten 56 from Ethan Brookes, his clean ball-striking and composure under pressure proving the decisive factor.
The allrounder arrived with the match finely poised at 134 for 4 and accelerated superbly through the closing overs, hitting five sixes and four boundaries in just 28 balls to seal the win with 13 deliveries to spare.
Related: Toby Albert, propelled by Hilton Cartwright's support, inspires resurgent Hampshire
Derbyshire's Ben Aitchson's maiden T20 five-wicket haul helped Derbyshire beat Yorkshire (Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com)
Edgbaston: Northamptonshire 240-6, Birmingham Bears 176 - Northamptonshire won by 64 runs
Northamptonshire Steelbacks steamrollered their way to the brink of T20 Blast qualification with a 64-run win over Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston.
The Steelbacks piled up their record Vitality Blast total, 240 for six, thanks to top three Matt Breetzke (85), Ricardo Vasconcelos (56) and David Willey (54). The experienced Bears attack was plundered for 21 fours and 15 sixes.
That left Warwickshire needing to record the second-highest successful Blast chase ever, and they mustered only 176 all out after Willey (2 for 27) took crucial early wickets.
The remarkably consistent Sam Hain hit 50 off 29 but the Steelbacks' attack, led by George Scrimshaw (3 for 33) and supported by excellent catching, nagged away with regular wickets at the other end.
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Old Trafford: Durham 155-7, Lancashire 156-7 - Lancashire won by three wickets
Chris Green starred with bat and ball as Lancashire Lightning won the battle of the top two in the T20 Blast North group to put themselves on the verge of qualification for the quarter finals, while defeat leaves Durham fighting it out for one of the remaining top four spots with two games left.
Colin Ackerman with 42 and Ollie Robinson (35) were the mainstays in Durham's 155 for 7 but a vital contribution of 20 off the final two overs from Matthew Potts and Will Rhodes also gave their innings an important late boost.
Green, who earlier had taken 3 for 15 for the Lightning, came in with the hosts struggling on 107 for 5 needing 49 runs from 37 balls on a slowish pitch. The Australian allrounder hit 31 off 16 balls including 2 sixes and 3 fours, gaining good support from Tom Hartley (7 not out) that finally turned the game in Lancashire's favour with the Lightning finishing on 156-7, skipper Keaton Jennings making 42, to win a tense encounter with eight balls to spare.
Headingley: Yorkshire 151-9, Derbyshire 157-2 - Derbyshire Falcons won by eight wickets
Seamer Ben Aitchison's maiden T20 five-wicket haul set Derbyshire on their way to hammering Yorkshire for the second Sunday running, ending the hosts' already slim T20 Blast quarter-final hopes in the process.
The excellent Aitchison was potent en route to a superb 5 for 29 at Headingley, and Afghanistani overseas off-spinner Mohammad Ghazanfar was miserly in returning 2 for 5 from four overs as Yorkshire were limited to 151 for 9.
The Falcons won at Chesterfield last Sunday, and here they deepened their local rivals' misery by reducing them to 17 for 4 in five overs. Ghazanfar struck twice early and returned the joint second-most economical four-over spell in Blast history.
In a clash between the bottom two sides in the North, Dom Bess's career-best 53 off 37 balls at least gave Yorkshire a fighting total. But Derbyshire eased home by eight wickets inside 17 overs thanks largely to opener Aneurin Donald's 54 off 30 balls.
Cardiff: Gloucestershire 175-6, Glamorgan 135 - Gloucestershire won by 40 runs
Gloucestershire bounced back to upset Glamorgan's hopes of knock-out qualification with a 40-run win at Sophia Gardens.
Marchant De Lange terrorised his former side with 4 for 20, including two wickets in an over to flip the game to send Glamorgan to 135 all out in pursuit of Gloucestershire's 175 for 6.
Ben Charlesworth's 55 set the way for the visitors despite various missed chances from Glamorgan before De Lange starred with the ball.
Will Smale struck 43 in just 27 balls in the hosts’ response before a lack of support brought Glamorgan a third consecutive defeat, and chances of qualification for the quarter-finals looked ominous.
Related: More changes at Middlesex as Leus du Plooy takes over as captain
Chris Green starred with bat and ball as Lancashire booked their spot in the next round of the T20 Blast (Dan Adams/Lancashire Cricket)
Utilita Bowl: Sussex 167-7, Hampshire 171-4 - Hampshire Hawks won by six wickets
James Vince smashed 98 not out to beat Sussex Sharks by six wickets and put Hampshire Hawks on course for the Men's T20 Blast quarter-finals.
Captain Vince led from the front for a magnificent 98 in 49 balls to chase down 168 and secure a third straight Hawks victory – and only failed to reach figures by hitting the winning runs with a four rather than a six.
James Fuller supported with three wickets before Joe Weatherley partnered up for 62 – and 43 himself – as Hampshire found form at the right time of the competition.
They now have seven wins in the tournament – the traditional benchmark for qualification – while Sussex have stalled. They have lost their last three matches.
Kia Oval: Surrey 201-6, Somerset 134 - Surrey won by 67 runs
Surrey booked a home tie in the T20 Blast knockout stages as they thrashed Somerset by 67 runs in the battle of the South Group's top two at the Kia Oval.
Reece Topley (3 for 20) led the charge for wickets, while Jamie Overton, Sam Curran and Adam Zampa all got two apiece as Somerset collapsed from 73 for 2 to 134 all out in pursuit of 202 to win, Tom Kohler-Cadmore top-scoring with 38.
Earlier, Will Jacks' 57 off 37 balls with four sixes provided the backbone of Surrey's 201-6, Migael Pretorius the pick of the visitors' attack with 1 for 28.
Related: Essex defy Surrey's overseas spin duo to snap winless start
Gloucestershire's Marchant De Lange celebrates a wicket with his teammates (Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Canterbury: Middlesex 160-5, Kent 165-3 - Kent won by seven wickets
Kent Spitfires are still in with a shout a T20 Blast quarter-final place, after they coasted to a seven-wicket win over Middlesex at Canterbury, with 11 balls to spare.
Fred Klaassen took 3 for 39 as the visitors were limited to 160 for 5 from their 20 overs, and they needed 68 from Leus Du Plooy to give them something to defend.
A blistering opening partnership of 66 between Tawanda Muyeye, who top-scored with 59, and Harry Finch meant Kent always looked favourites, and when Finch went for 36, Joe Denly took the Spitfires to the brink with 46, before Sam Billings sealed the win with a six.
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