T20 Blast: Jacks stars as Surrey & Somerset win

Surrey defeated Middlesex by 75 runs at the Kia Oval, and England white-ball pitcher Will Jacks set the T20 Blast on Friday night.

As Surrey won third games in four nights, Jacks hit 97 off 56 balls with five sixes in front of a crowded crowd.

They are now four points clear of Somerset, who won seven out of eight games with a six-wicket victory over Glamorgan, to finish second in the South Group.

Northamptonshire continue to lead the North Group, but their latest defeat comes after losing by 24 runs to the Nottinghamshire Outlaws.

In an emphatic 80-run victory over Derbyshire, Lancashire moved up to second place, while Durham defeated Yorkshire by 63 runs to win.

Gloucestershire defeated Hampshire by two wickets in the final over to win the game’s best game, while Bears won by one wicket over Worcestershire at Edgbaston, also in the final over.

In the ninth over, Glamorgan was reduced to 49-5 by the seam attack by Matt Henry, Riley Meredith, and Lewis Gregory, who had led the innings.

With 20 balls to spare, Gregory scored the winning run on the final try in the final score of 130-9, but T20 specialist Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit 38.

When Jacks was hitting all the way, Middlesex captain Stevie Eskinazi must have regretted it when he had requested Surrey bat first in the London derby.

The score was 194-8 after he fell three short of his century’s target in the final over.

Middlesex consistently lost wickets in reply, with New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, who took 3-25.

Jacks was given the final wicket as Surrey’s rivals were bowled out for only 119.

In search of that elusive win, Essex chose to chase at Ambassador Cruise Line Ground in Chelmsford, but they were able to pull off a stunning 219-3 lead with 100 off 59 balls as Kent opener Tawenda Muyeye completed his maiden T20 century.

Dean Elgar struck 50, but Matt Parkinson’s 5-23, which was his T20 best performance, shattered the momentum.

Before being the last man out, they were bowled out for 172, T20 captain Simon Harmer hit 55 of his 21 balls in a row.

In a Bristol thriller, Gloucestershire won two games in a row to defend their T20 crown after six straight losses.

As Hampshire were forced to score 124-9, David Payne scored with a 3-20 lead.

However, things grew tense as Liam Dawson and Benny Howell slowed down the scoring, and Payne hit it for six to win in the end, three shots needed off Chris Wood’s final over and one off the final ball.

For the game in honor of club president Syd Lawrence and to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, Gloucestershire players and supporters wore pink.

The former England fast bowler was recently given a diagnosis of MND.

Tom Moores’ 53 helped Nottinghamshire to 164-8 despite losing wickets.

As Northants fell 45-4 in their final nine overs, England Lions leg-spinner Farhan Ahmed scored the winning run.

They were always second best, going all out for 140 in the final over, which caused trouble for them.

Even though Worcestershire were bowled out for 134 in the 19th over, Dan Mousley took 4-19 for the Bears, the Midlands derby at Edgbaston provided the drama.

Alex Davies hit 42, but Fateh Singh (3-18) and two in two balls from the slow left-armer gave the hosts 86-6 after taking the wicket.

With just one wicket and three balls to spare, Sam Hain threw a 38 not out to win the match.

With opener Graham Clark hitting 53, New Zealand white-ball expert Jimmy Neesham putting a fine 42 not out of 21 balls to make the score 193-4, Yorkshire invited Durham to bat at Chester-le-Street for the second time in six days.

No one could have taken Yorkshire’s 132-run lead in the 18th over, but Adam Lyth’s 38 and four Durham bowlers who had taken two wickets each had taken a 130-run lead.

In a Lancashire T20 match against Derbyshire, Luke Wells top-scored with 83 runs, while Matty Hurst hit 59 off only 29 balls.