Worcestershire end winless Blast run with victory over Leicestershire

Worcestershire Rapids ended a run of seven successive Vitality Blast defeats with a 16-run victory over North Group top-four hopefuls Leicestershire at New Road.

Adam Hose hit 63 off 39 balls to help the Rapids achieve their highest score of the season in posting 184 for eight.

Tom Taylor and youngster Harry Darley then claimed two wickets each to help reduce Leicestershire to 28 for five.

Although Louis Kimber plundered 53 from just 23 deliveries – with five sixes in a two-over spell – and Ben Cox (55) also made a half-century, Matthew Waite then claimed a stream of late wickets for a career-best Blast return of five for 21 as Leicestershire were 168 all out.

Leg-spinner Jafer Chohan claimed a maiden five-wicket haul to help set Yorkshire up for a seven-wicket win over fellow quarter-final contenders Durham as they successfully chased down a target of 108 at Headingley.

Chohan, who turned 22 on Thursday, finished with five for 14 as Durham were bowled out for 107 inside 17 overs, with Ben Raine having made 33.

In reply, the Vikings comfortably chased down their target to end a run of three straight Blast losses, with openers Adam Lyth (30) and Dawid Malan (29) leading from the front.

Heavy rain washed out the match between Derbyshire Falcons and Lancashire Lightning, which was abandoned at 8.30pm after the wet weather set in.

Both teams take a point, which leaves Lightning still in second place while Falcons move above Durham into fourth.

In the South Group, Sam Cook returned from injury to anchor Essex’s 22-run victory over rivals Kent Spitfires at Chelmsford and keep the Eagles on course for the quarter-finals.

Fast bowler Cook came back from a lay-off with a hamstring problem to take one for 21 as Essex successfully defended 187 despite Kent opener Tawanda Muyeye making a T20-best score of 73.

Paul Walter earlier hit an unbeaten 46 while Adam Rossington, Dean Elgar, Michael Pepper and Matt Critchley had all passed 30 as the Eagles set an imposing total before closing out in the field.

Middlesex duo Jack Davies and Martin Andersson put on a century fifth-wicket stand to help forge a 29-run victory over Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.

After being reduced to 32 for four in the powerplay, Davies struck a rapid 53 off 35 balls and Andersson weighed in with 52 from 39 deliveries to help the visitors post a competitive 181 for eight.

Middlesex leg spinner Luke Hollman then took three for 37 to check Gloucestershire’s chase, despite the best efforts of Jack Taylor (45) and Beau Webster (31), as the home side were all out for 152 with a fifth defeat denting their quarter-final hopes.