Solanki steers Royals to crushing win

Vikram Solanki is in complete control en route to a 47-ball hundred against Glamorgan at New Road

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A 47-ball century by Vikram Solanki revived Worcestershire’s hopes of a quarter-final place in a crushing 101-run victory over Midlands/Wales/West group strugglers Glamorgan at New Road.

After piling up 222 for four, Worcestershire restricted the visitors to 121 for six and moved alongside Northamptonshire, Somerset and Warwickshire in a four-way tie on 10 points at the top of the table

England Lions team-mates Steve Davies (32) and Stephen Moore, who made his 49 from only 30 balls, were not overshadowed in successive partnerships that lifted Worcestershire to 168 for two when Solanki was out for 100 in the 15th over.

Glamorgan lost three wickets for nine runs in the first three overs and were never in contention despite Robert Croft’s unbeaten 52 from 34 balls.

In the South Division Kent boosted their quarter-final prospects with an extraordinary one-run victory over Surrey.

Brown Caps’ last man, Jade Dernbach, was run out off the fourth ball of the final over in an enthralling clash at the Brit Oval.

Surrey needed eight off the last over chasing Kent’s 168 for six, which included a 92-run stand between Rob Key (44) and Martin van Jaarsveld (54).

But after Usman Afzaal struck a fine 62 for Surrey, their innings ended one short when Dernbach perished attempting a suicidal run to Justin Kemp at midwicket.

In the North Division Durham leap-frogged opponents Yorkshire with a 41-run victory at Chester-le-Street.

Ali Brown races 72 from 48 balls in Nottinghamshire's nine-wicket demolition of Leicestershire at Trent Bridge

The visitors needed a spirited last-wicket stand to avoid recording the lowest total in seven seasons of the Twenty20 Cup.

They were five short of Sussex’s 67 against Hampshire in 2004 when Deon Kruis (12) joined Adil Rashid (28 not out) and took them to 90 for nine by the close .

Chasing what looked a modest 131 for seven, Yorkshire never recovered from suffering two run-outs in the first three overs.

Tim Bresnan had earlier taken 3-26 as Phil Mustard top-scored with 26 for the hosts.

Elswhere in the North Division, Nottinghamshire kept alive their quarter-final hopes as England seamer Ryan Sidebottom equalled his best bowling figures in Twenty20 cricket in a nine-wicket win over Leicestershire.

The 31-year-old showed all his international pedigree as he warmed up for the Ashes with 3-16 from his four overs to limit the visitors to 123 for seven in their Twenty20 Cup match, Matthew Boyce top-scoring with 32.

Notts openers Ali Brown and Matt Wood then hit a new county record 119 for the first wicket as the hosts raced to the victory target in the 15th over at Trent Bridge.

Brown made his second consecutive half-century in the competition, blasting 72 off 48 balls with two sixes and nine fours, while Wood hit five fours on his way to 43 not out.