Durham defy odds to reach Blast quarter-finals as Alex Lees leads from the front

Durham will travel to Surrey in the Vitality Blast quarter-finals after a dramatic final night of group action.

Alex Lees was the hero for Durham after they qualified for the Vitality Blast knock-out phase for the first time since 2018 (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Archive)

Durham reached the Vitality Blast quarter-finals for the first time since 2018 thanks to a captain’s knock by Alex Lees and fireworks from Colin Ackermann.

During a dramatic final night of the group phase, Durham were the big benefiters in North Group after an eight-wicket victory at Derbyshire saw them rise from seventh to leapfrog Leicestershire and claim fourth spot.

A win for Derbyshire would have earned them a knockout berth but they were only able to post 155 for eight after a string of batters made starts, with Nathan Sowter picking up two for 18 and Ben Raine only going for two for 19 from his four overs.

It was then over to Durham’s batting line-up and Lees carried his bat for a measured 72 off 60 balls, while Ackermann hit the winning runs with seven deliveries to spare after he plundered 54 with five fours and three sixes.

Yorkshire could have progressed with victory at home to Nottinghamshire, but were unable to chase down 210 and suffered a disappointing loss by 28 runs.

Jack Hayes’ 50 helped the bottom-of-the-table Outlaws post 209 for nine with Benjamin Cliff registering figures of four for 31 at Headingley.

James Wharton struck 52 for Yorkshire but faced 46 balls and while Jordan Thompson smashed four maximums to finish on 50 not out, the hosts closed well short on 181 for six.

Northamptonshire pipped Lancashire to second in North Group after they successfully chased down 202 to win at Old Trafford.

Jack White picked up three for 16 before Matthew Breetzke smashed 76 off 31 balls to help Steelbacks clinch a four-wicket win, which consigned Lancashire to a third-place finish.

Moeen Ali blitzed 103 to help Birmingham clinch top spot after a 72-run victory over Leicestershire, who were dismissed for 122 in pursuit 194 for five and subsequently missed out on a quarter-final spot.

Birmingham will host Gloucestershire in September for a place at Finals Day after fifth-placed Essex lost by seven runs at Hampshire in South Group.

Essex, runners-up in 2023, needed a win or tie to leapfrog Gloucestershire but after Ben McDermott’s 64 guided Hampshire to 181 for five, the visitors were restricted to 174 for seven with only maiden T20 fifties by teenagers Charlie Allison and Luc Benkenstein able to take the match into the final over.

South Group winners Surrey, who will face Durham at Kia Oval in the last eight, were already assured of top spot but were routed by 86 runs at Kent after they were all out for 131 in Canterbury.

Sussex finished second and will entertain Lancashire in the quarter-finals after Daniel Hughes scored an unbeaten 96 to help them to a nine-wicket victory at home to basement outfit Middlesex.

A record-breaking night for Kiran Carlson fired Glamorgan to a 120-run thrashing over Somerset.

Carlson smashed 135 off 64 runs to hit Glamorgan’s best T20 score and post the highest innings of this year’s competition in their 243 for four.

Somerset were skittled for 123 in reply with Marnus Labuschagne spinning his way to five for 11, but Somerset still finished third in South Group and will travel to Northamptonshire in the quarter-finals.