The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action from the penultimate round of matches in the 2024 Vitality Blast
New Road: Worcestershire Rapids 169-8, Derbyshire Falcons 170-5 - Derbyshire won by five wickets
Derbyshire Falcons kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast with a last-ball five-wicket success over injury-hit Worcestershire Rapids at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
It was a triumphant return to New Road for former Worcestershire duo Pat Brown and Ross Whiteley who played key parts in their side’s success.
Brown finished with figures of 4 for 3 to take his wicket tally in the competition this summer to 21 as Worcestershire were restricted to 169 for 8.
Then Whiteley smashed an unbeaten off 22 balls just when the Falcons were falling behind the run rate.
Alex Thomson turned Tom Taylor for the decisive run.
Now the Falcons must now defeat visiting Durham in tomorrow evening’s final group match and hope other results go their way.
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Northampton: Northamptonshire Steelbacks 197-6, Birmingham Bears 186-6 - Northamptonshire Steelbacks won by 11 runs
Saif Zaib hit a blistering 86 off just 41 balls with eight fours and six sixes to set up a thrilling Northamptonshire Steelbacks victory over Birmingham Bears by just 11 runs and secure their first Vitality Blast quarter-final spot in four years.
Zaib shared a partnership of 72 in almost seven overs with Ravi Bopara (19) to propel Northamptonshire to a formidable total of 197 for six.
Steelbacks skipper David Willey struck immediately in the run chase taking two wickets in the opening over, removing dangerman Moeen Ali first ball, as the Bears slumped to 11 for 3.
But a magnificent 93 from Sam Hain off just 60 balls (10 fours, three sixes) took the match into the final over with the Bears still very much in the hunt.
Hain shared a partnership of 92 in 10 overs with Jacob Bethell who hit 50 off 31 balls (two fours, four sixes) as the visitors bounced back from the early fall of wickets.
Despite some more big hitting from Hain and George Garton at the close, they fell short, although they can draw consolation from having already booked their quarter-final spot.
Pat Brown's haul keeps Derbyshire in the quarter-final hunt (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Chelmsford: Gloucestershire 179-8, Middlesex 169-7 - Gloucestershire won by 10 runs
Cameron Bancroft produced his best Vitality Blast performance with a knock of 87 from 54 balls as Gloucestershire held off Middlesex to keep their hopes of a quarter-final place alive.
The Australian, who racked up 10 fours and three sixes, shared an opening partnership of 65 from 42 with Miles Hammond to set a platform for the visitors to post 179 for 8 at Chelmsford.
Despite a valiant unbeaten 73 from 52 by Middlesex captain Leus du Plooy – whose first-wicket stand of 102 with Martin Andersson was a county T20 record against Gloucestershire – his side lost six wickets for 39 and fell short on 169 for 7.
Matt Taylor claimed 2 for 17 for Gloucestershire, whose victory lifted them to joint fourth in the South Group table, but they will miss out if Essex avoid defeat in their final match against Hampshire on Friday.
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Taunton: Sussex Sharks 158-9 Somerset 162-4 - Somerset won by six wickets
Ben Green claimed four wickets as holders Somerset leapfrogged Sussex Sharks into second place in the Vitality Blast South Group with a six-wicket victory at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
The visitors could post only 158 for 9 after losing the toss, Harrison Ward top-scoring with a rapid 39 and medium-pacer Green finishing with 4 for 17 from three overs.
In reply, Somerset made 162 for four with 2.2 overs to spare, George Thomas blasting 42, with seven fours, Tom Abell 47 not out and Sean Dickson 28. Tymal Mills was the most successful Sharks bowler with 2 for 28.
The result ensured Somerset a quarter-final place and made them favourites to secure a home tie with one group game left to play
Saif Zaib continued a good run of form with 86 to help beat the Bears (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Kia Oval: Hampshire Hawks 183, Surrey 188-5 - Surrey won by five wickets
Sam Curran's career-best unbeaten 102 saw South Group leaders Surrey to a five-wicket win over eliminated Hampshire to guarantee themselves a home quarter-final.
The England all-rounder clubbed six maximums and seven fours in a stay of 58 balls, reaching his century with the winning hit, as the hosts chased down a target of 184 with five balls to spare.
Curran, dropped on 11 and caught off a no-ball on 44, shared stands of 86 with Dominic Sibley (27) and 54 with Jamie Overton (21). John Turner returned 2 for 30 for the visitors.
Hampshire's 183 was built around a career-best 66 from Toby Albert, his first half-century in the format. Jordan Clark's 3 for 24 kept the target within bounds while there were also two wickets for Matt Dunn in his first game, outside of the One-Day Cup, for three years.
Cameron Bancroft could not have timed his career-best T20 score better (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
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