Champions still alive

Gerard Brophy's 57 not out ensured Yorkshire came out on top against Notts

Twenty20 Cup quarter-final draw:

July 7 - Durham v Yorkshire (Riverside, 5.10pm)
July 7 - Essex v Northamptonshire (Chelmsford. 7.40pm)
July 8 - Middlesex v Lancashire (Brit Oval, 5.40pm)
July 9 - Warwickshire v Kent (Edgbaston, 5.40pm)

Defending champions Kent, plus Essex and Yorkshire claimed the final three quarter-final spots in the Twenty20 Cup.

With Essex and Hampshire playing each other, Kent needed to beat Sussex to seal third spot in the South Division, while for Yorkshire it was a winner-takes-all shoot-out with Nottinghamshire.

Yasir Arafat proved the star of the show for Kent as he first gave their innings impetus with 42 from 23 balls and then took three wickets to guide the champions to a 50-run victory which sets up a clash at Warwickshire in the last eight next month.

Robert Key (38) and Azhar Mahmood (34 not out) also contributed as Kent racked up 162 for nine from their 20 overs, and Sussex were never in contention as they slumped to 112 all out.

Kent’s victory meant the loser of the Essex-Hampshire clash would miss out, and it was the hosts that prevailed at Chelmsford to set up a home clash with Northamptonshire.

Opener Mark Pettini led the way for Essex, cracking 49 from 34 balls in their total of 159, and a superb bowling display saw them ease to a 54-run victory - Danish Kaneria claiming 4-22 as Hampshire were all out for 105.

It was also a stroll for Yorkshire, who raced to a nine-wicket win at Trent Bridge with two overs remaining to claim third spot in the North Division and a quarter-final trip to neighbours Durham.

Adil Rashid took four wickets as Nottinghamshire were restricted to 136 for eight from their 20 overs.

It looked an inadequate total and so it proved as Yorkshire openers Andrew Gale and Gerard Brophy set about knocking off the runs.

The pair put on 99 before Gale (45) was dismissed but Brophy (57no) passed his half-century while Anthony McGrath hit a quickfire 30 not out from 15 balls.

Warwickshire suffered their first defeat of the tournament at the hands of Northamptonshire, with both teams already guaranteed last-eight spots from the Mid/West/Wales Division.

Northants' David Sales spoiled Warwickshire's record with an innnings of 42 © Getty Images

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David Sales top-scored with 42 while Steven Crook hit 26 from 10 balls to guide the visitors to 137 for eight at Edgbaston.

Run-outs hurt the Warwickshire chase with three batsmen, including top-scorer Jonathan Trott (26), failing to make their crease as the hosts came up 13 runs short on 124 for eight.

In the same division, Jamie Dalrymple led Glamorgan to a six-wicket victory over Worcestershire at New Road despite 59 from the evergreen Graeme Hick in the hosts’ 141 for eight.

Dalrymple took two wickets and then top-scored with 38 not out from 24 balls as the Welsh county reached their target with seven balls to spare.

That ensured Glamorgan finished third with Somerset’s match against Gloucestershire called off without a ball being bowled.

The final match in the South Division saw table-toppers Middlesex chalk up their eighth victory from 10 matches with a seven-wicket win over Surrey.

Jon Batty hit 42 not out in Surrey’s 139 for eight but Middlesex eased to their target with nine balls remaining - and were then drawn at home to Lancashire in the quarter-finals.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff took four wickets as North Division top two Lancashire and Durham met at the Riverside.

After bad weather delayed the start, Durham reached 77 for seven from 10 overs with Flintoff the star of the show with 4-12.

Lancashire were eight for two when play was abandoned, keeping the hosts top of the table and ensuring a home clash in the last eight.

Finally, a brilliant all-round performance from Jim Allenby inspired Leicestershire to a 23-run victory over Derbyshire in a contest at Grace Road with little at stake but pride.

Allenby hit an unbeaten 50 from 31 balls in the hosts’ total of 149 for five then took five wickets as Derbyshire were skittled for 126 - but the two-times former winners still finished bottom of the group.