Yardy clinches semi-final spot

Michael Yardy’s unbeaten half-century gave Sussex a six-wicket victory over Somerset in the quarter-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy at Taunton.

In a thrilling run chase as Sussex went after Somerset’s total of 285 for eight, Yardy’s 57 off 43 balls completed a fine innings, built on opener Ed Joyce’s 74 and Murray Goodwin’s 93.

Chris Nash also added 41 which left the visitors requiring 13 runs off the last two overs to win.

Yardy smashed a four down the ground with first ball of penultimate over to reach his half-century, and he hit the winning runs - a four on the open side - with five balls remaining.

Earlier, Craig Kieswetter scored 106 towards the hosts’ 285 for eight, and his South African compatriot Zander de Bruyn hit 96 to make up for failures elsewhere in the innings.

The pair added 167 for the fourth wicket to aid a recovery from 39 for three. Marcus Trescothick went for a diamond duck while James Hildreth and Ben Phillips also fell cheaply.

Hampshire's Michael Lumb goes to 100, setting up a 44-run win over Middlesex

Former Australia batsman Justin Langer made only one before being bowled by Chris Nash and Omari Banks was out first ball, but Peter Trego (19) and Arul Suppiah (21) added useful runs.

Hampshire secured their place in the semi-finals with a 44-run win against Middlesex at the Rose Bowl.

Openers Michael Lumb (100) and Jimmy Adams (76) put on 156 for the first wicket following Hampshire’s decision to bat first, and a total of 310 proved too much for the Panthers, for whom Neil Dexter top-scored with 79.

Number six batsman Liam Dawson smashed an unbeaten 51 off 37 balls for Hampshire and shared a 90-run partnership with Michael Carberry (42 not out) as the hosts dominated Middlesex’s attack.

The visitors could not exploit the batting conditions in the same way, though, managing 266 before being bowled out with four balls of the 50 overs left.

Billy Taylor was the pick of the Hampshire bowlers with 3-44 runs off 9.2 overs.

Francois du Plessis hit a majestic century, his second in three innings, to send Lancashire into the semi-finals at the expense of holders Essex.

The South African reached three figures off only 71 balls to become the fastest one-day centurion of the English summer so far. He broke his own 76-ball record set against Derbyshire earlier in the competition.

The 24 year-old went from fifty to 100 in only 19 balls to fire his side to 262 for six off 50 overs.

In total he hit five fours and seven sixes to help accrue a mammoth 121 runs off the last 12 overs, including 63 runs off the five overs of batting powerplay. He finished unbeaten on 113 off 75 balls.

Left-arm spinner Gary Keedy then picked up 4-45 as Essex were bowled out for 195 with six overs to spare. Lancashire, who won by 67 runs, will host Hampshire in the last four on July 5.