T20 Blast: Somerset and Northants seal quarter-final places

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Somerset, the 2023 winners, booked their place in the last eight with a perfectly measured chase against Sussex.

Ben Green claimed 4-17 as the Sharks were restricted to 158-9 after being put in at Taunton, opener Harrison Ward top-scoring with a quickfire 39.

A classy 42 from 20-year-old opener George Thomas set the tone as every Somerset player scored at a strike-rate of 100 or more, with Tom Abell guiding them home with 47 from 34 balls to seal a six-wicket win.

Gloucestershire kept alive their hopes of joining them in the quarter-finals as they beat Middlesex at Chelmsford, but will need Essex to lose their final game at Hampshire on Friday to ensure they make the top four.

Cameron Bancroft bludgeoned 87 from 54 balls with three sixes and 10 fours, but opening partner Miles Hammond (30 from 21) was the only other player to pass 15 as the visitors scored 179-8.

Middlesex made a blistering reply and looked favourites with Martin Andersson hitting 49 and putting on 102 for the opening wicket with skipper Leus du Plooy.

But they then lost seven wickets to slump to 157-7 and Du Plooy was stranded on 73 not out from 52 balls, with Middlesex falling 10 short of their target.

Meanwhile at The Oval, England all-rounder Curran completed a breathtaking maiden T20 century with a six off the final ball as Surrey beat Hampshire by five wickets.

Hampshire’s Toby Albert made a breezy 66 – his maiden T20 half-century – but the visitors were bowled out for 183 with Jordan Clark picking up 3-24.

Surrey were on the ropes at 27-3 in the fifth over of their reply but Dom Sibley (27) supported Curran in a rapid stand of 86 in eight overs.

Jamie Overton joined Curran and hit two sixes in his 21 but it was Curran who stole the show, clearing the ropes six times and cracking seven more fours, blazing past his career best of 72 and bringing up his century from the 58th and final ball he faced.

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