Final group stage matches of the Blast provide ultimate excitement!

North Group

Worcestershire Rapids 159/8 lost to Notts Outlaws 165/5 by 5 wickets
Derbyshire Falcons 194/5 beat Durham 193/5 by 5 wickets
Leicestershire Foxes 211/7 beat Yorkshire Vikings 151/9 by 60 runs
Lancashire Lightning 169/8 beat Birmingham Bears 168/8 by 2 wickets

South Group

Gloucestershire 164/5 beat Middlesex 163/4 by 5 wickets
Kent Spitfires 155 lost to Glamorgan190/5 by 35 runs
Sussex Sharks 180/0 lost to Hampshire Hawks 181/5 by 5 wickets
Somerset 218/8 beat Surrey 171/9 by 47 runs

OUTLAWS PROVE TOO STRONG FOR THE RAPIDS

Worcestershire started slowly, losing their two openers early on. Colin Munro came to the crease and looked sharp as usual.He finished on 27 from 14 after being bowled by Jake Ball (who split the stump in half!) and the Rapids innings' continued at a decent pace. Ed Barnard top scored with 38 from 23, but brilliant bowling from Notts limited the total. Joe Clarke was gone on the second ball of the Outlaws innings without scoring. Alex Hales smashed back-to-back sixes, but was caught the ball after. Ben Ducket came to the crease and saw the Outlaws home. He finished on 62* from 44 balls.

BRILLIANT MADSEN SEES THE FALCONS HOME

Durham batted first in this one and set a decent total. Ollie Robinson top scored with a quick 43 from 27. Matty McKiernan bowled well and picked up 3/29. The Falcons came to the middle and Luis Reece was gone for a duck after three balls. But Shan Masood and Wayne Madsen steadied the ship. It was a quite remarkable innings from the latter who finished on 100*. He made that score in 47 deliveries, hitting 14 boundaries in the process. A simply sublime innings. 

FOXES THRASH THE VIKINGS

Confident batting from the home side saw them smash over 200 against Yorkshire. Nick Welch scored 46 from 23, but Colin Ackermann top scored with 72* from 46. David Willey chipped in with 3/29, nearly taking a hat-trick later on in the innings. Yorkshire started fairly strongly, Adam Lyth made 52 from half as many balls. But that was as far as the Vikings batters could go. Rehan Ahmed impressed with the ball once again, taking 3/17. 

LANCASHIRE HOLD THEIR NERVE TO BEAT THE BEARS

In a crucial North Group clash, both Lightning and the Bears were looking for a win for a home quarter-final fixture. The Bears batted first at Emirates Old Trafford, Adam Hose making 50 from 39. He top scored, but Dan Mousley also impressed with 41 from 20. That innings was vital in creating the close finish we had! Lightning were comfortable to begin. Phil Salt made 33 and Dane Vilas added 42. But when they were both out, Lancashire stalled. Tim David, Danny Lamb and Luke Wood all fell cheaply. It took a brilliant final over from Tom Hartley to see Lightning home and earn a home tie in the Blast quarter-finals. Olly Stone was brilliant with the ball, taking 4/21.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE DEFEAT MIDDLESEX

Middlesex batted first against Gloucestershire and struggled to get going. Stevie Eskinazi made the highest score with 65 from 55, but only scored four boundaries. Max Holden did speed up the innings, scoring 37 from 19. But a total of 163 wasn't enough for the visitors to Bristol. The top three batters for Gloucestershire all made it to double figures, but failed to convert. Glenn Phillips, looking his usual self, finished on 52 form 39 in what was a match-winning knock. 

REIGNING CHAMPIONS LOSE IN FINAL MATCH OF BLAST 2022

Glamorgan's batters continued their form from the previous night in the Blast, scoring aggressively. Billy Root (38 from 25) and Dan Douthwaite (51 from 23) were the quickest scorers for the away team. Kent's innings summed up their Blast campaign as it never really got going. Alex Blake provided some resistance further down the order, scoring 32 from 25. Darren Stevens helped with 34, but that was that for last year's Blast winners. 

CAPTAIN VINCE SHINES AGAIN FOR THE HAWKS

Hampshire headed into the final group match of this year's Blast knowing they had qualified for the quarter-finals, but couldn't earn enough points for a home tie. They didn't take their foot off the gas though. Sussex opened the evening's match and some solid bowling from the Hawks restricted the top order batters. Ravi Bopara (35 from 25) and George Garton (37 from 17) hit the most runs for the Sharks. James Vince was as classy as ever, striking 65 from 42. Ben McDermott supported him with 30 and Ross Whiteley and James Fuller finished the innings off for Hampshire. 

SUPER SMEED STUNS SURREY

Surrey went into the final group stage match of the year in top form and Somerset knew a special performance was required to beat them and earn a home quarter-final. But Will Smeed provided just that. He immediately looked strong and was carving the ball to all areas of the ground. He was caught two short of a century, making 98 from 51. Tom Abell was also hitting it well as he made 70 from 36. Chris Jordan took three wickets in that first innings and was also looking sharp with the bat. He came to the crease as his side were three down and started to hit big. He got to 73 from 35 before being caught off the bowling of Peter Siddle. The remaining Surrey batters couldn't quite get the match over the line and Somerset got the victory.